An Igbo apex group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) worldwide has called on the federal government to disclose the true identities of the 156 passengers on board the aircraft that brought Coronavirus to the county.
The group noted that it is the responsibility of the minister of health to inform the public, especially as Nigerians are anxious of the deadly disease.
The youth group in a statement signed by its president general, Okechukwu Isiguzoro along others recalled that the identity of Patrick Sawyer in the case of Ebola during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration helped to curbed the spread of the virus. The group therefore urged the federal government to do same.
The statement reads, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has called on the federal government through the Ministry of Health as a matter of urgency and national security, disclose the true identities of 156 passengers on board the aircraft that brought in the index case to the county.
“It is the primary responsibility of the Minister of Health, Enahire Osagie to inform the public, as Nigerians are very apprehensive and ready to help to fish out those in the aircraft if they know the true identities with photographs of all the passengers on board.
“OYC recalled that with the identity of Patrick Sawyer revealed by Jonathan’s administration during the Ebola outbreak, it helped Nigerians to halt the spread. FG should do the needful and reveal the true identity of the Italian man and his picture to the public without further delay.”
While the group commended Chinese Embassy on their collaborative effort to ensure that Nigerians are safe in their country, they appealed to the federal government to rescue citizens in China.
The group stated further that, “Also, the group lauded collaborative approach of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria as the embassy had confirmed that there is no evidence or record that stranded Nigerians, especially Igbo, had contracted the Coronavirus, federal government should rescue Nigerians in China since there is no case of COVID-19 among Nigerians.
“OYC is monitoring keenly to know the identities of those that had come in contact with the Italian Coronavirus patient in Lagos and Ogun states. Governors should build emergency isolation centres with world class facilities to ensure that we are prepared for any eventuality.”
