There was controversy on Saturday, May 9, over the alleged huge death of about 110 persons in Azare town, headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State, within the past two weeks.

Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed has broken his silence over the alleged claim that 300 lives have been lost in the last 30 days in Azare LGA, of the state.

He said that only 150 people have been confirmed dead. Explaining how they died, he said the disease was spread as a result of community transmission.

Mohammed, a COVID-19 survivor, stated this in a media briefing on Sunday.

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According to him, “it’s 150 people that have died in the last 30 days and not 300 people as reported in the media.”

Newsmen recall that a former member of the House Representatives from Bauchi State, Ibrahim Mohammed Baba recently wrote President Muhammadu Buhari, claiming that COVID-19 had killed over 100 persons in Azare in the last one week and has thrown the entire area into great mourning, panic, and confusion.

The governor explained that he was imposing a lockdown on three local government areas after the result of 66 persons confirmed their COVID-19-positive status.

“Total lockdown on the 3 LGAs is necessary; we just got result of about 66 cases, 42 of which were from Azare alone. And we have found out that most of the cases from Azare is as a result of community transmission; people are not adhering to guidelines in that axis, because there have been transaction going on between the people of Azare and Kano were the COVID-19 pandemic is high,” Mohammed said.