Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Saturday, refuted claims of tampering with the COVID-19 test result of the state’s index case, Mrs. Susan Idoko Okpe.
Ortom explained that only the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, conducts COVID-19 test and not state government, hence he would not have tampered with Mrs. Okpe’s result.
The governor made the clarification in a response to several videos by Mars Okpe claiming he doctored her COVID-19 result.
Mrs. Okpe, a United Kingdom returnee had claimed that her COVID-19 test result was fake, adding that the state government was behind it.
She also accused the state government of holding her hostage.
However, Ortom stated that his government was not holding Mrs. Okpe hostage.
He disclosed that Mrs. Okpe was in care of NCDC and the health agency will release her when certified free of the virus.
A statement by Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary, Tever Akase reads partly: “She claimed not to have seen her COVID-19 test results, and in another breath described the same results as fake. How was she able to know that the results are fake without seeing them?
“Coronavirus tests are carried out by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, not Benue State Government. Governor Ortom or any other person could therefore not have tampered with the same results simply to stigmatize the index case.
“The same way the Governor announced status of the index case is how he made known that of the 2nd case who is willingly cooperating with the COVID-19 team to get treatment.
“We wish to remind Mrs. Okpe that she is no longer in the care of Benue State Government. NCDC is in charge of her case in Abuja and will ascertain her status. If she is certified free of COVID-19, the disease control agency will let her go. She needs to redirect her messages to the agency and leave Governor Ortom alone.
“With every sense of responsibility, Governor Samuel Ortom, on behalf of the Government and people of Benue State, wishes our dear sister, Mrs. Susan Idoko Okpe speedy recovery and good health.”