The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Sokoto State Command, has debunked a report that one of its officials tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
The command’s spokesperson, Hamza Illela, denied the report in a statement on Wednesday.
Illela said an online newspaper had on Tuesday reported that a personnel of the corps, who was not named, had fled the isolation centre in Lagos to Gidan Sanda area, near Kalambaina in Sokoto.
“The alleged fleeing person is not a personnel of the corps, as he has no relationship with NSCDC,” the statement said.
Illela described the report as false and an unverified report, aimed at tarnishing the image of the corps.
“The unsubstantiated report is a figment of the imagination of its author and we reject it in its totality,” the spokesperson said.
Illela appealed to the public to discountenance the report and to sustain its confidence in officers of the command.
He, however, explained that the suspected case had tested negative for the coronavirus after medical investigation.
He also advised journalists to be sure of their report before publishing.