Photos showing Abba Kyari’s grave, the gravedigger and undertakers.
Abasifreke Effiong
The gravedigger who dug Abba Kyari’s grave and other cemetery workers at the Abuja burial ground, Gudu, where the remains of President Buhari’s chief of staff were laid to rest have been taken into isolation.
The gravedigger and some other cemetery workers who took part in the interment of the elder statesman were not properly kitted according to a video.
Abba Kyari tested positive of Coronavirus and died in a hospital in Lagos. He was buried at Gudu cemetery, Abuja on Saturday.
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The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, says it has arrested a cemetery worker who was seen in a video removing hazmat suit unprofessionally after Kyari’s burial.
The Health and Human Services secretariat of the announced in a release that it has taken other people into isolation for proper testing, for not being properly kitted during the burial.
“The Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCT Administration has noted with concern the video trending on social media, showing a man pulling off his Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) unprofessionally after participating in the burial of the late Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Abba Kyari, at the Gudu cemetery, Abuja.”
“The PPE left over by the individual has been professionally evacuated and the entire cemetery has been decontaminated.”
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“All the individuals including the man in question that participated in the burial and were not properly kitted have been identified and are being isolated.
Necessary tests will conducted on all of them to determine their level of exposure and ensure that they do not infect other people.”
A “scary video” shows one of the undertakers who had direct contact with the corpse of Abba Kyari removing his hamzat panicky and dropping it on the ground while he walks away.
The video has stirred tension and panic among residents of FCTA.
Some Nigerians on social media have criticised government’s handling of the burial, noting that it violated the NCDC protocols and was capable of exposing more people to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Personnel of FCTA Health and Human services secretariat decontaminating, Gudu cemetery, Abuja.
The acting secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat FCTA, Dr Mohammed Kawu, has urged residents of the FCT to remain calm, stressing that the hamzat has been picked up and properly disposed and decontamination of the area has been done.
Kawu added that burials of victims of COVID-19 will be conducted in line with protocols published by the NCDC.
