Atiku’s son didn’t attend any social gathering after he returned from Switzerland -Spokesman

Paul Ibe, spokesman of Atiku Abubakar, has cleared the air about the rumours that trailed the alleged movement of the son of the former vice president who was diagnosed of coronavirus after he returned from Switzerland.

Atiku had announced via his Twitter account on Monday that his son tested positive for coronavirus and had been moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital in Abuja for treatment.

Hours after he made the announcement, some Nigerians on Twitter accused Atiku’s son of refusing to isolate himself after he returned to the country.

They alleged that he visited a nightclub and attended Juma’at service in the city while accusing him of endangering the lives of other Nigerians with his “actions”.

But in a series of tweets, Ibe denied the allegations, saying the patient only attended a private meeting of six persons upon his arrival.

He said the patient wore a face mask as a precautionary measure since his arrival in Nigeria and that he voluntarily placed a call to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), seeking to be tested.

He said the patient subsequently went into self-isolation to protect his family within the house when his test came back positive.

He added that the patient’s son tested negative to the virus while his wife’s result is being awaited.

“For the purpose of putting the records straight and dispelling false narratives about the itinerary of a son of H.E  @atiku currently undergoing treatment for Corona Virus (COVID-19) infection, I wish to make the following clarifications,” he tweeted.

“The clinical case returned to the country on 17th March via Switzerland from some business engagements in France and Switzerland.

“He attended a private meeting of six (6) persons same day in Lagos, stayed in his private house for the night and took an Aero 5.20pm flight to Abuja on the 18th.

“The case did not travel with his family or any other but travelled alone by Emirates Airline. The case wore face mask as a precautionary measure since his arrival in Nigeria.

“The case did not show symptoms of infection and voluntarily placed a call to NCDC on arrival in Abuja late on the 18th to inform them he had returned from COVID-19 prone country and desired to be tested.

“On the 19th, NCDC took his blood sample which result came positive on the 20th. He subsequently went into self-isolation to protect his family within his own house.

“Meantime his son has since tested negative while his wife’s result is being awaited. The two persons are currently in self-isolation.

“We urge members of the public to disregard the perfidious information that the case accessed open location. He was not at Play Lounge nor any other club in Abuja as being mischievously bandied about.

“The case neither attended the Friday Juma’t prayers nor any social gathering until his evacuation to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital on the 20th where he is being treated and managed.”