Tobias Sylvester
Nasarawa State House of Assembly has been shut down following the death of a popular lawmaker, Adamu Suleiman, who died of coronavirus.
The state governor, Abdullahi Sule, announced the immediate shutdown on Sunday while briefing newsmen in Lafia.
According to him, the closure would enable the state government trace and quarantine all the contacts the dead lawmaker had in recent times.
“The Speaker and all members of the Assembly have agreed to be isolated and their samples have been taken for COVID-19 test,” the governor said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victim, who was the first casualty from the novel virus in the state, died on Thursday in Keffi.
Governor Sule explained that the victim took ill and was admitted at the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where his sample was collected, having shown symptoms of COVID-19.
“Before the result could return, the member had died and his remains buried according to Islamic rights in Nasarawa Local Government Area.
“But when his result came out on Saturday, it was positive. Unfortunately, all those who attended the burial did so not knowing his status.
“The member participated in all the Assembly sittings, a development which has complicated our situation,” he said.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Nasarawa State currently has recorded eight active coronavirus cases and one death from the virus that has infected 2558 persons across the country.
