Aisha Oyebode-Muhammed writes Ganduje over mysterious deaths

Aisha Oyebode-Muhammed, eldest child of the former Head of State, late General Murtala Muhammed, has called for a war-time strategies among other measures to check the increasing deaths of residents in Kano suspected to be from the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

Oyebode-Muhammed, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) declared that the situation in her home state deserved a strong leadership action, and not to adopt a fatalist view of the situation or remain in denial.

In an opened letter to the state governor, Abduallahi Ganduje, copy which was made available to newsmen in Lagos, on Monday, Oyebode-Muhammed lamented that “Kano state already has considerable developmental challenges that threaten to be compounded by this pandemic.

“We have a huge population, endemic poverty and high rate of illiteracy among other indicators that make us extremely vulnerable. This portends horrendous catastrophe for our people if, God forbid, we lose the war against COVID 19. I therefore entreat you to take necessary action to urgently address this predicament and save the people of Kano,” she said.

She, however, recommended a 7-point steps as a way forward, which according to her demanded urgent and coordinated actions.

“Some of the steps I would like to suggest are: declare a State of Emergency in Kano State with immediate effect; exercise your powers as Governor to lockdown the entire Kano State and work with the Nigerian security forces to enforce this.

“Embark on a community awareness program to sensitize all indigenes and residents of the state to protocols that have been prescribed by the WHO including: hand washing, social distancing, use of face masks and self-isolation

“Adopt wartime strategies to minimize the spread of the virus, which would include commandeering existing infrastructure as isolation centres, in particular repurposing boarding schools and university accommodation as much needed beds for the sick.

“Practice intense tracing, categorization and management of contacts. Provide health care workers on the frontline with adequate PPEs and adopt NCDC guidelines in dealing with those who have been confirmed infected, as well as enforce adherence to guidelines for the burial of the deceased.

“Nigeria and indeed Africa, have been lucky, as our treatment outcomes so far have been remarkable. Therefore, urgent and coordinated action must be taken and the support of all stakeholders must be sought to turn the tide against this aggressive contagion in Kano State, to save us from the dire projected outcomes,” she stated.