Date: 2021-02-03

Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari has said he has not visited his hometown, Ilorin, Kwara State, since his appointment in May 2020 due to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

He spoke at the commissioning of the State House Clinic Special Care Centre (COVID-19 Isolation Centre), on Tuesday.

The Chief of Staff called on Nigerians to ensure compliance with the non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19 some of which include the use of face masks, hand wash and social distancing.

"It may interest you to know that since my appointment into this position in May 2020, I have not been to Ilorin, Kwara State, my hometown," Gambari said.

'However, the Chief of Staff lamented the approach of Nigerians to the non-pharmaceutical intervention, which he distributed as unfortunate.

Gambari said the people of his hometown, Ilorin believe that only rich people suffer from COVID-19.

"But as Mr President often says, COVID-19 is a respecter of nobody. Rich and poor, powerful or weak, all of us must respond to this very effectively," he said.

"For me who sees the President many times in a day, I have to take responsibility and if that involves giving up going to the town of my birth, so be it." Gambari urged citizens of Nigeria to embrace the new vaccine which is meant to protect them from the virus and do whatever it takes to keep themselves safe.

The Federal Government has said tha the COVID-19 vaccine is not meant to kill Africans as speculated by many.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha said this on Tuesday at the inauguration of the State House Clinic Special Care Centre (COVID-19 Isolation Centre), Abuja.

Mustapha dismissed the conspiracy theory surrounding the vaccine, stressing that no country was interested in spending money just to kill Africans.

The SGF said the FG would continue to sensitize Nigerians on the benefit of been vaccinated against the dreaded virus.

He stressed that absence of the vaccine may deny Nigerians from traveling outside the country.

Recall that Nigerians, especially some religious leaders have kicked against the vaccine, saying there were other motives behind its production.

Recall also that the former senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, had in a video urged Nigerians to steer clear of the vaccine, maintaining that the speed at which the vaccine is being produced remains suspicious.