Lateef Raheem, the late chief security officer to national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, died of coronavirus, a test has revealed.
Mr Raheem died last Friday and was buried the same day in accordance with Islamic rites.
As a precautionary measure, Tinubu, on Saturday, had his sample and those of his close aides taken by officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to test for COVID-19.
A statement on Monday from his media office signed by Tunde Rahman said the former Lagos governor and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, tested negative, but that one of his aides tested positive.
“Following the death of our well-respected and beloved Chief Security Officer, Alhaji Lateef Raheem, NCDC medics took the wise precaution of taking samples from his body for testing to actually determine the cause of death. Today, the test results are back. The samples tested positive for Covid-19,” the statement said.
“As a precautionary measure taken soon after the death of Alhaji Raheem, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and all their aides took COVID-19 tests Saturday, April 25. The results of the tests were returned this morning.
“Test results for both Asiwaju and Senator TInubu were negative.
“The results of one aide were positive. The rest of the staff was negative. The one staff member has been isolated in accordance with NCDC guidelines. Further contact tracing and COVID-19 tests are being conducted by the NCDC with regard to the relatives and possible contacts of that staff member.”
According to the statement, Tinubu stressed that openness and transparency must be observed if the country is to defeat the deadly disease.
“There is no house immune to its entry. Contracting the virus should not bring social or moral stigma any more than contracting malaria or a common cold,” he said.
“We cannot overcome this challenge by acting like it does not exist or by trying to conceal that someone may have it due to social shame. The culture of denial is counterproductive and will do great harm in our current situation.”
He added: “We must do all we can to contain the spread of the virus and to well treat those of us who have been hit by it.
“As you go about your day, we know you must find daily sustenance. Yet, please continue to do all you can to maintain social distance and to take all other public health measures to protect yourself and others. In this way, we all may contribute to halt the spread of this dangerous virus.”
