FG panel probes TheCable’s exposé on fake COVID-19 test results

January 13, 2021 1:47 pm

A federal government panel has begun a probe of the fake coronavirus “testing” being carried out by some government officials.

The panel, which was set up by Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, is made up of about nine members mostly senior staff of the ministry.

They sat on Wednesday in Abuja — a meeting attended by TheCable.

TheCable had exposed how government officials imitate COVID-19 test reports in exchange for bribe from travellers.

Those leaving and entering Nigeria are mandated to carry out tests to show they are not carriers of the virus before embarking on their journey.

Obiora Emenike, a member of staff of the port health services (PHS) department under the federal ministry of health, had collected N20,000 as bribe from the reporter who had embarked on an undercover investigation to expose the scam.

In return, he sent the reporter the fabricated result showing that he tested negative for the coronavirus, even though his sample was not taken by any laboratory.

TheCable also found out that Emenike was working with one Kayo Inyang, a medical doctor at the federal ministry of health.

The investigation generated widespread calls from Nigerians who took to social media to demand concrete steps from the government to curb the scam.

In a letter addressed to TheCable and dated January 11, Mohammed Diri, director of legal services at the federal ministry of health, said: “I am directed to refer to the above subject matter and to inform you that following your online publication of 8th December, 2020, on the above subject, the Ministry has commenced investigation into the case.

“In view of the above, you are kindly invited to appear before the panel of inquiry on Wednesday 13th day of January, 2021…”

At the panel’s meeting attended by two members of staff of TheCable, Omobolanle Olowu, the chairperson, said the health minister set up the committee to investigate the findings reported by TheCable.

Alongside other members of the panel, she posed questions to Chinedu Asadu, one of TheCable reporters that carried out the undercover investigation.

The questions bothered on issues raised in the report and individuals indicted.

The panel also requested all available evidence on the matter as published by TheCable — all of which have been forwarded to the panel’s secretariat.