Covid-19: Drama as Benue’s index case, Susan Okpe demands to be tested abroad

Nigeria’s Health Minister, Osagie Ehanire, has given updates about the first case of COVID-19 in Benue state, Susan Okpe. Recall that the United Kingdom-based, who visited Benue State in March for a burial ceremony, tested positive for the virus some weeks ago.

However, in a viral video, she accused the Benue state government of detaining her at an isolation centre for 43 days, claiming that she is not positive for the virus. According to her, she visited a clinic on March 24 to complain of body pains due to fatigue and was about to be discharged after being treated when she found out that the state governor, Samuel Ortom, had announced her name as the first Coronavirus patient in the state.

She also alleged that the COVID-19 test result presented to her by the Benue State Government was fake as the age and other personal information on it were not hers.

Meanwhile, the health minister stated that the case took a new turn when the third test was to be run on Ms Okpe. Mr Ehanire was responding to questions from journalists at the daily national briefing of the Presidential Taskforce on Tuesday. The briefing aired on Channels TV was monitored by POLITICS NIGERIA.

“We work with the guidelines of the World Health Organisation and we need to document her result. So we went to her house,” He said.

Mr Ehanire narrated that after several attempts to get her tested, she demanded that her samples should be taken abroad. “I called her on phone and persuaded to let them take the test and she gave me the condition that they must give her all her results from the past.”

“I gave the instruction and they took all her results to her. But on the day of the test, when NCDC got there, she told them that she wants the test to be taken by World Health Organisation and that the result must be done in the UK.”

Nevertheless, the minister noted that Ms Okpe is in good condition and the test is to ascertain whether she still has the virus or not.