Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Osun State Government, on Saturday, confirmed that only two persons at the COVID-19 isolation center in Ejigbo could not be accounted for instead of six that had been reported to be missing.
The Commissioner for Information, Funke Egbemode, gave the confirmation in a statement against the backdrop of a purported report being circulated in the public circle at the weekend that six persons escaped from the isolation at the state hospital at Gedu in Ejigbo on Friday night whose whereabouts could not be confirmed.
The unofficial anonymous report which quoted the state government as being on the trail of the alleged escapees gave the list to include:
Lawal Waliyulah, Masifa Ejigbo
08063691573
LASISI Murafat, Olugbodi’s compd Ejigbo
. +22505368845
. C/o Ganiyat Alabi
08075441187
Yusuff Afees, Ile Alawe, Ejigbo
07011196193
Isola Abibat, Ile Olori, Ejigbo
08055905010
Nua Oyeleye, Ile Jesu, Oguro Ejigbo
08109375276
and Juel Olasupo, Ile Baale Ejigbo
08149584397.
But while debunking the report government urged the public to discountenance it as a mere and unnecessary alarm.
Egbemode, however, confirmed that only two persons could not be accounted for after a headcount of the persons at the isolation centre.
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, also dismissed the report, describing it as a figment of imagination by the writer.
He said that the report was not from government and should be treated as untrue.
In the statement, Egbemode said:
“This morning we embarked on a headcount and found out that only two persons could not be accounted for by the officials stationed at the Isolation centre out of the 127 persons.”
She assured that government would go the whole hog in ensuring that the two missing persons are brought back to the isolation, while any officials found culpable in connection with the development would be dealt with accordingly.
The statement which had the theme: “The truth about Ejigbo returnees – Osun Govt.” reads:
“Our attention has been drawn to a story purporting that six persons were missing from our isolation centre in Ejigbo.
“One of the writers quoted a non-existent statement from the government to lend some measure of credibility to the story.
“Nothing can be farther from the truth. As a government, we have not issued any statement to confirm or deny such story. Besides, a quick check showed that the name and number of the first person on the list of the purported missing patients, is indeed currently in our facility in Ejigbo.
“Recall about a week ago, we received 127 returnees from Ivory Coast and we have kept them since then to avoid community transfer of the virus.
“The state government is currently investigating the matter and will ensure that the two missing persons are brought back to the isolation centre and we will also ensure we trace all their contacts.
“We wans reiterate that any official(s) found culpable will also be dealt with accordingly.
“We implore members of the public to discountenance the alarm being raised. We will continue to do everything to protect the lives of our citizens in this fight against coronavirus.”