The Nasarawa State Government says it has tracked and returned four women who escaped from the quarantine centre at the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia.
Dr Emmanuel Akabe, Deputy Governor of the state, who is also Chairman, State Taskforce on COVID-19, disclosed this on Monday in Lafia while briefing newsmen on the update of activities to contain the spread of the virus.
The women had escaped from the quarantine centre on Sunday during a protest over alleged poor feeding and neglect by the state governent.
Those quarantined include over 200 travellers from high risk states as well as returnee Quranic education pupils (Almajirai) from Bauchi State.
The Deputy Governor said, “it is true there was a protest by those quarantined at the holding centre at the Nasarawa State Polytechnic Lafia and four women escaped during the protest.
“All the women were traced and had since been returned to the centre for continued evaluation before they are released if found to be free of the virus.
“We are not holding them because we hate them; we only want to ensure that people from high risks areas are properly checked and certified to be free of the virus before they meet their families.”
He further explained that they are being properly taken care of, contrary to the insinuation making the round.
“Humans naturally do not want to be confined to one place, that was just the reason for the protest and not because of poor feeding or neglect,” the deputy governor added.
He also said that samples from many of them were already taken for testing with some found positive, while other results were still being awaited.
Gov. Abdullahi Sule had directed that all travellers from high risks states be quarantined, tested and certified free of the virus before they are allowed to go.
Nasarawa state has so far recorded 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one death from the virus.
