COVID-19 Forces Army To Cancel On-going Conference In Abuja As Officer Tests Positive

The Nigerian Army has been forced to abruptly end the ongoing Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference 2020 in Abuja following COVID-19 infection at the venue.

According to information made available to Naija News on Thursday by the acting Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sagir Musa, an officer participating in the conference tested positive to COVID-19.

Following the development, all participants at the conference have been instructed to proceed on self-quarantine while all other remaining activities in the conference have been cancelled.

The Army statement reads: “The Nigerian Army wishes to inform members of the public that due to resurgence of COVID 19 Pandemic in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja in what appears to be a second wave of infection cycle and the unfortunate incident on Tuesday 8 December 2020, where an officer participating in the ongoing Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference 2020 here in Abuja tested positive to COVID 19, the remaining activities of the conference have therefore been immediately cancelled.”

“All the participants have been mandated to immediately proceed on self-isolation in line with the Federal Government’s protocol for COVID 19 and to prevent any further spread of the disease.”

Previously, Naija News reported that the Defence Headquarters on Wednesday denied soldiers were killing aged people in the Northern part of the country as alleged in a recent report by international human rights organization, Amnesty International (AI).

The Nigerian Military in its response which was contained in a statement by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche said it is important to clarify issues raised by the AI report.

Enenche in his statement said the accusation against the military were baseless and just an attempt to paint the military in bad light.

It will be recalled AI in its 67-page report titled ‘My heart is in pain: Older people’s experience of conflict, displacement, and detention in Northeast Nigeria’, which was released on Monday, accused the military of killing old persons.

The organization said many of these older people have been victims when the military decides to attack communities believed to be under the influence or cooperating with Boko Haram terrorists.

However, the Defence Headquarters has now denied all such allegations and assured Nigerians of the commitment of its operatives to rid the country of all criminal elements.