The Coronavirus Pandemic which has infected over 1 million people and sending over 50,000 of the victims to their early graves around the world also claimed lives of seven Nigerians. Although, only two of the deaths were recorded in Nigeria, the identities of those Nigerians that died of COVID-19 at home and abroad remains a subject of conjecture. Below are details of four out of five COVID-19 victims so far:
Achimugu
Suleiman Achimugu:
Achimugu, a former Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) on March 23 became the first person to die of COVID-19 in Nigeria. The 67-year-old Kogi born who tested positive of COVID-19 after returning from the UK, died at the Specialist Hospital, Gwagwalada, FCT.
Laila Abubakar Ali: The 60-year-old lady, Hajia Laila Abubakar Ali of Kano descent, died on March 25, while receiving treatment at the Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, New York. She was said to be the elder sister of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Kano State.
Offiong
Bassey Offiong
Bassey Offiong, the second Nigerian victim of coronavirus died in the United States on March 28. The 25-year-old was weeks away from graduating with a chemical engineering degree from Western Michigan University before his demise.
Offiong, according to his sister, was turned down several times for the coronavirus test in the Kalamazoo area while living off-campus despite having fever, fatigue and shortness of breath. He was hospitalized at Beaumont in Royal Oak and spent a week on a ventilator in their intensive care unit before giving up the ghost.
Sa’adu
Alfa Sa’adu
Alfa Sa’adu, a Nigerian born medical doctor resident in the United Kingdom, died of the coronavirus on March 31. The 68 year-old, who held the traditional title of the Galadima of Patigi in Kwara State, reportedly died of complications from the COVID-19. He was one of the most respected Nigerians in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).
Dr Anya
Dr Caleb Anya:
A United State based medical practitioner, Dr Caleb Anya, from Ohafia in Abia State, died of Coronavirus while rendering service to humanity on the forefront of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic in New York on April 1. The deceased is among thousands of health officials overwhelmed in America as the country. Caleb died exactly five days after he was admitted into a New York hospital after contracting Covid-19.
Abayomi
Kole Abayomi
Dr Kole Abayomi, former Director-General of the Nigeria Law School, died in the United Kingdom (UK) on April 2 after contracting the virus. Abayomi was called to bar in 1966 and admitted to the Inner Bar in 2005. He taught at the Nigerian Law School and rose to the position of Director-General in November 2004.
NB: Identity of the person who died of Coronavirus in Lagos State on April 3 – a 55-year-old man who recently returned from The Netherlands remains unknown till now.