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Concerns about COVID-19 infection have reached the highest levels of the Nigerian military over reports that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Major General Johnson Olubunmi Irefin, died from Coronavirus related illness.
According to reports, Major General Irefin died Thursday morning in Abuja after falling ill last night.
He was among the top echelon of the Nigerian Army that were attending the cancelled Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference 2020 in Abuja.
Sadly, General Irefin buried his mother two weeks ago.
A top military source who confirmed the death of the GOC, lamented that there is fear that several other top ranking army officers must have contracted the virus which killed the GOC in a speed of light during the night.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has cancelled the ongoing Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference 2020 in Abuja after an undisclosed army officer tested positive to COVID 19.
Army spokesman, Sagir Musa, in a statement directed all participants in the conference to immediately proceed on self isolation in line with the Federal Government’s protocol for COVID 19 and to prevent any further spread of the disease.
In another statement, Mr Musa said that the COAS had also pruned down the number of attendees to the wedding solemnisation of his son, Hamisu Buratai, scheduled for Friday.
Participants at the COAS conference would not participate in the wedding, the statement added.
“The Chief of Army Staff, on behalf of his family, feels honoured to sincerely appreciate, thank and welcome all dignitaries and invited guests to his son’s wedding slated for Friday, Dec. 11.
“However, due to the resurgence of the Pandemic in the FCT, Buratai will be unable to personally attend to, receive, or meet you at the event. All inconveniences are hereby regretted please,” he announced.
The statement on the cancellation of CoAS annual confab reproduced in full below:
CANCELLATION OF THE REMAINING ACTIVITIES OF CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF’s ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2020
1. The Nigerian Army wishes to inform members of the public that due to resurgence of COVID 19 Pandemic in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja in what appears to be a second wave of infection cycle and the unfortunate incident on Tuesday 8 December 2020, where an officer participating in the ongoing Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference 2020 here in Abuja tested positive to COVID 19, the remaining activities of the conference have therefore been immediately cancelled. All the participants have been mandated to immediately proceed on self isolation in line with the Federal Government’s protocol for COVID 19 and to prevent any further spread of the disease.
2. All inconveniences hereby regretted please. Thanks for your usual understanding and cooperation plea
SAGIR MUSA
Brigadier General
Acting Director Army Public Relations
10 December 2020