The attention of the Office of the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has been drawn to a report making the rounds that he has contracted the Covid-19 virus and that he is now in isolation, where he is receiving treatment.
In statement released on Sunday, the Minister is said not to have Covid-19, and he is not in isolation nor receiving treatment anywhere.
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The report, which was first published by an online newspaper and then reported by some mainstream media, has highlighted the task to stamp out fake news and misinformation in the country
The Minister who says he was at the weekly Wednesday meeting and extraordinary meeting of the Federal Executive Council on Thursday and also witnessed the swearing-in of the Minister of State for Works and Housing on
Friday all at the Presidential Villa, where the correspondents of many media organisations are deployed, so he could not have done these if he was in isolation.
He notes that as a member of the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19, he has the added responsibility of leading by example, and
would not have hesitated to publicly announce his Covid-19 status if
indeed he has contracted the virus.
Lai Mohammed calls for empathy and prayers and not stigmatisation for those who contract the virus.
And in the best tradition of journalism, the Minister calls on the online newspaper behind the fake news not only to retract the publication but also to
apologise for causing him such embarrassment, especially in a season of joy.
The statement from the Minister did not however deny similar reports that the Permanent Secretary in the State House, Tijjani Umar, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu and other presidential aides including the Aide-de-camp and Chief Security Officer have tested positive for Covid-19.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
