Lai Mohammed
As Nigeria confirmed the second case of Coronavirus in the country, the Minister of information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has urged Nigerians to support Governments at all levels and help themselves in containing the virus.
The Minister made this known during a live television program that was monitored by everyeveryng while he was briefing Nigerians on efforts that have been put in place by Government to contain the outbreak of the virus, which has spread across many countries around the world.
“The Federal Government has taken the matter with all seriousness, but we can only succeed with the corporation of Nigerians.”
“Nigerians need to help themselves because it is not a disease that will kill you alone if you keep it to yourself; it may kill hundreds of people who could contract the disease.
“We must listen to what the doctors are saying, they know better than us in this matter, we should not second guess them, if they say we should wash our hands, please let us do”
Mohammed, who expressed shock over how some individuals have been spreading fake news with the aim of thwarting Government’s efforts towards containing the virus noted that there was no iota of truth in the claim that the Italian man who was diagnosed with the virus threatened to escape because of inadequate facilities in Nigeria.
“Another area which is aimed at thwarting the efforts of the governments and the committee is fake news, as soon as the Coronavirus first case was reported in Nigeria, the index of fake news went up.”
“The first thing they said was that the Italian man that was infected with the virus threatened to escape because of inadequate facilities, it was a piece of fake news”
“Another fake news about the outbreak of coronavirus in Nigeria is that the Uber driver that took the Italian man to the airport threatened to spread the virus unless he was paid one hundred million naira, it was fake news.
He also reacted to how some people prescribed garlic as a way of keeping themselves safe from being infected by the virus.
“Another fake news is that if you take garlic, it will cure the virus, it is not true; also, another fake news that is making the round is that Africans are immune to the virus, it has not been proven at all.
The minister said that Facebook has pledged to help the Nigerian Government flag down fake news on their Facebook and Instagram pages adding that the United Nations has commended the efforts put in place by the Government and the Nigerian Centre for disease control over their preparedness to contain Coronavirus.