The press release wrote on twitter by Mr.Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President on media and Publicity says that “The Presidency regrets to announce the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.The deceased had tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19, and had been receiving treatment. But he died on Friday, April 17, 2020.May God accept his soul.Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly”.
Mr Kyari died of coronavirus. He received treatment at a private hospital in Lagos.
Mr Kyari had on March 23 tested positive to the novel coronavirus. On March 29, Mr Kyari issued a statement on his decision to move to Lagos for “further test and observation.”
The statement was the first official confirmation of his COVID-19 status since he was reportedly confirmed positive six days earlier.
In his statement, he said; “I have made my own care arrangements to avoid further burdening the public health system, which faces so many pressures.”
“This is a precautionary measure: I feel well, but last week I tested positive for Coronavirus, the pandemic that is sweeping the world. I have followed all protocols the government has announced to self-isolate and quarantine,” he said.
The perceived secrecy surrounding the management of Mr Kyari’s medical condition further heightened the agitation by Nigerians for information on the whereabouts of arguably Nigeria’s most powerful presidential aide.
Some Nigerians on social media had also speculated that Mr Kyari was flown abroad.
Although Mr Kyari and the government he served did not disclose the hospital where he received treatment, some sources suggested that he was treated at First Cardiology Consultant (FCC), a highly-sought-after private health facility located in Ikoyi, Lagos.
One of the sources who did not want to be named due to patient’s confidentiality guideline and sensitivity of Mr Kyari’s case matter confirmed to our reporter that the chief of staff later became very sick.
While Mr Kyari received treatment at a private hospital, the health minister warned private hospitals to stop treating COVID-19 patients and instead refer suspected cases promptly to various public facilities across states dedicated for the management of the disease.
