‘Corpse of COVID-19 patient smuggled from Lagos’ intercepted in Akwa Ibom

A corpse “smuggled into Akwa Ibom state from Lagos” has been intercepted and buried by the state COVID-19 regulations enforcement team.

The corpse was buried in accordance with the protocol for burial of an infected corpse, while the persons who transported the corpse have been quarantined pending the outcome of their test for COVID-19.

Dominic Ukpong, Akwa Ibom commissioner for health, disclosed this at a meeting of the  state incident management committee, held at the Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo, on Friday.

He said the deceased was transported in an ambulance from Lagos on the night of May 6, 2020, and arrived Akwa Ibom borders in the early hours of the next day.

The commissioner lamented that despite the inter-state lockdown, the corpse was transported through seven states, beating the security formations in those states.

“But for the alertness of the police officers posted to our borders, the corpse would have successfully made it to its destination in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area,” he said.

The commissioner said that six men bearing a corpse made it past other state borders without being intercepted.

“We really appreciate the point of entry team, as well as the burial committee that ensured the deceased was committed to Mother Earth on the same day in Ikot Ebidang Village, Mkpat Enin Local government area,” he added.

He urged members of the public to report anyone who recently returned to their communities to the authorities.

Ukpong also called on community leaders, especially village heads, to give support to the government so as to keep their communities safe.

The commissioner expressed the gratitude of the state COVID-19 management committee to Udom Emmanuel, governor of the state, for “ensuring that adequate provisions are made to ease the team’s work of managing the cases”.

He also appealed to the public to accept people discharged without any discrimination or stigmatisation.

Ukpong, who is the head of the COVID-19 incident management team, lauded the security agents in the state for efficiency in the discharge of their duties, especially in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.