Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, breached the COVID-19 protocol on Thursday, when he attended the funeral of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, in Abuja without wearing a face mask.
Arotile, Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, died last week in a freak auto accident inside the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna State.
But while top military officials, including the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Sadique; and other dignitaries wore face masks in compliance with the Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Bello did not put on any.
Governor Bello, represented Arotile’s home state of Kogi at the event, was, however, dressed in a white agbada and cap.
But his wife, who sat next to him at the funeral, wore a mask.
The governor, like President Buhari, has been seen in many photographs posted on social media exchanging pleasantries with VIPs without wearing a mask.
Recall that Bello and the NCDC have been at loggerheads regarding the COVID-19 guidelines.
Governor Bello has consistently denied the existence of COVID-19 in Kogi State despite being confronted with evidence by federal health officials.
He was once reported to have declared COVID-19 a hoax.
Bello had reportedly said, “Do not give in to fear and evil of the issues of COVID-19. It is a disease that has been imported, propagated and forced on the people for no just cause. Nothing kills faster than fear. I urge you all not to accept cut and paste as COVID-19.
“It is only out to create fear, panic, and pandemic, orchestrated to reduce and shorten the lifespan of the people. Whether medical experts and scientists, believe it or not, COVID-19 is out to shorten the life spans of the people. It is a disease propagated by force for Nigerians to accept.”