Ekiti Govt Speaks On Video Of Man Who Rejected Son Over Unknown COVID-19 Status

Says man who made the video is neither a doctor nor member of COVID-19 Taskforce in the state.

The Ekiti state government has reacted to a viral video of a resident of the state, a retired federal road safety corps (FRSC) officer, who refused to accommodate his son who came into the state from Lagos because of the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 status of his son.

Ekohotblog had reported earlier about the manner with which the situation was handled by the state, after those whom were believed to be health officials and COVID-19 taskforce in the state refused to adhere to the preventive measures put in place by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the world health organisation (WHO).

But in a statement on Wednesday by the state commission for information in the state, Muyiwa Olumilua, the state government condemned the action of the governor aide who made the footage, saying that the security man who recorded the encounter is neither a health worker, nor qualified or authorized to determine the health status of the young man. So, none of his actions or misstatements reflect the capacity or preparedness of the State Taskforce to combat the COVID-19 viru

The governor Governor of the state State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has commended the retired officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Femi Adeoye for denying his son, who just arrived from Lagos, access into the house without confirming his COVID-19 status.

 

Fayemi gave the commendation in a statement on Wednesday by the Information Commissioner, Muyiwa Olumilua.

He said the Adeoye’s actions symbolises the core Ekiti value of selflessness, which places greater premium on the collective good of the society above personal interest.

 

The governor charged residents of the state to emulate the patriotic zeal of the retired officer and promptly report any out-of-State traveler who sneaks into their neighbourhood.

 

This, he said, would help to protect them against the likely health hazard that such returnees portend for the larger society.

 

The statement reads “The attention of the Ekiti State COVID-19 Taskforce has been drawn to a video clip in circulation where a man refused to allow his son, who just returned from a trip outside the state, into his house until he had been isolated for 14 days as stipulated by NCDC protocol for preventing community spread of COVID-19 in Ekiti State.

 

“The Task force commends Mr Femi Adeoye, for refusing to cover-up his son’s travel history and for denying him access into the house without confirming his COVID-19 status.

“Mr Adeoye epitomizes the Ekiti ethos of selflessness, which places greater premium on the collective good of the society above personal and emotional considerations. This is the core of the Values Orientation policy of the Fayemi-led Administration.

 

“We also consider it necessary to inform members of the public that the video was recorded about four days ago, by one of the security men attached to the Fajuyi Pavilion, where the Enforcement Taskforce uses as its base for coordination of daily operations.

 

However, Fayemi has ordered the immediate suspension of one of his aides identified as Sola Durodola who reportedly shot the video where he was making mockery of the retired FRSC officer.

 

In the video obtained Ekohotblog, Durodola, who is neither an health official nor medical doctor, authoritatively certified the suspect as free of covid-19, which was against the directives of the WHO.

 

” The officer in question has been suspended pending further investigations, for acting outside the jurisdiction of his scope of authority.

 

“Following the encounter, the young man has been in the custody of the State for the past 4 days, and has since been taken to one of the designated quarantine centres, where he would be for 14 days, in line with laid down procedure that dictates that anyone who sneaks into the State, would be quarantined for fourteen (14) days, at their own cost. His samples will also be taken for testing in order to ensure he has not been infected in the course of his travels to high incidence areas of the country.