UPDATED: Coronavirus: NTA manager, Ayinde Soaga, tests positive

The general manager of the Nigerian Television Authority in Kastina, Ayinde Soaga, has tested positive for the coronavirus and has been quarantined.

Mr Soaga has also expressed confidence that he will recover from the virus.

Mr Soaga spoke with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday shortly after news of his status became public knowledge. He said he was in high spirit.

On Thursday, a close relative of Mr Soaga told this reporter that the journalist was receiving adequate treatment at the Katsina isolation centre for coronavirus patients.

“Yes, Ayinde has been moved to the isolation centre in Kastina. He is receiving good treatment, family and some friends in touch. He is quarantined already,” the relative said asking not to be named.

Mr Soaga could not be reached by phone on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists had earlier issued a statement signed by its chairman, Tukur Dan-Ali, stating that the council was of the belief that Mr Soaga contracted the virus as a result of his day-to-day service as a journalist.

The family of the NTA boss in a statement issued by Kehinde Soaga, affirmed that the journalist had called the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control officials to carry out the test on him.

‘The family of Alhaj Ayinde Soaga, GM, NTA Katsina appreciates the numerous phone calls and concern raised about the report as regards his testing positive to COVID 19. We wish to confirm that he is in high spirit not bedridden as he personally called in the NCDC officials to carry out the test on him,” the statement said.

The family said it was aware that coronavirus is not a death sentence and believing in God for healing. “We seek your prayers for a speedy and divine healing which Almighty Allah gives,” the statement said.

“We appreciate the National Secretariat of NUJ, the Katsina State & FCT Councils of the Union as well as many other individuals and groups too numerous to mention for their quick intervention and prayers,” the family wrote.

The NUJ in Kastina State said it sympathised with Mr Ayinde, his family, the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA Chapel) of the union as well as the entire journalists in the state over the development.

“This, of course, indicated the fact that journalists are exposed to danger in this hard period of rampage spread of Covid-19 pandemic everywhere in Nigeria particularly in most affected states including Katsina,” the union said.

The union thanked the Katsina State government as well as its special task force on coronavirus for working round the clock to control the spread of the pandemic, and also called on people of the state to support government’s policies and programmes especially on the current coronavirus pandemic.