Man Who Make Video Discrediting Second COVID-19 Case In Delta Arrested

A middle aged man who made an amateur video allegedly trying to discredit the status of a patient who reportedly died of COVID-19 in Delta state as well as the fumigation exercise of the private hospital where the case was first treated, has been arrested, BIGPEN can report.

The man who introduced himself in the video which went viral as Chairman of Ugbori community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, and later identified as one Prince Godwin Metie, was arrested on Sunday.

BIGPEN had reported that the COVID-19 case, a Business Manager of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC Warri Area Office, simply identified as Engr. Awuta, a native of Kogi state, was the first case to die from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the state.

This medium had reported that the patient, as was confirmed by the state government on Thursday last week, had developed severe coronavirus symptoms at a private clinic before he was moved to the state facility for adequate attention.

Sources privy to the development had revealed that while on self-treatment at the clinic, he reportedly developed complication and was reported to officials who subsequently transferred him to State isolation centre at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara where he eventually died.

The deceased passed away on Thursday, according to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, just after the result of his blood sample from Irrua Specialist Hospital in Edo state came back positive for coronavirus.

Following the development, findings revealed that the clinic where the deceased, a pastor at the Deeper Life Bible Church who was said to have history of prolonged diabetes case, was first admitted, Gifted Hands Clinic and Maternity in Ugbori, off Ekurede -Itsekiri road, was then quarantined and sealed by authority of Warri South Local Government Area.

The clinic which is being run by a husband and wife young medical doctors, and situated in a residential storey building, where the couple occupied a flat, was lock down by security operatives drafted from police ‘A’ Division in Warri.

The Warri South council would later deployed some personnel to disinfect the building but long after some occupants of the building had left the vicinity and mingled with the larger community.

Apparently miffed by the development, the community chairman, who recorded the personnel while fumigating the area, purportedly discredited the COVID-19’s death status of the case, maintaining that the deceased might have died of other complications and not COVID-19.

In the video seen by BIGPEN, the Metie was heard trying to discredit the COVID-19 case in the area going by the way and manner the state government handled the issue after the patient was evacuated to isolation centre, saying, “there is nothing like coronavirus here my dear Deltans”. He also criticised the poor fumigation of the environment, saying what they brought is a “cassava machine” to fumigate the environment.

He promised to post the video online for people to comment and apparently prod the state government to take action.

Meanwhile, a group of youths in another video who had pleaded for the release of the community chairman, disclosed that Metie was arrested as a result of the viral video condemning the state government’s handling of the purported Coronavirus case in the community. They said many of them thought the case was a scam including the arrested chairman hence the video.

“Chairman of Ugbori community in Warri South, Prince Godwin Metie, was arrested two days ago because of the video where he exposed the state government concerning their claims of Coronavirus case in our community. 

“The arrest was ordered by the council chairman, Tidi and the state governor. As we speak, he has been taken to the state CID, Asaba, one source said. 

But when contacted on the arrest of Metie, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, said, “I am not aware of any arrest concerning the community chairman.”

However, the council chairman, Tidi confirmed the arrest, saying “His arrest followed the video he did on the Coronavirus victim who was earlier treated in a clinic in the community. 

“The video actually caused serious embarrassment to the council and the state. I received series of calls from prominent Deltans from the local government and state expressing bitterness concerning the viral video. 

“And I was to have a talk with him to do a rebuttal before I learnt of his arrest. 

“Though we are doing all within our powers to secure his release, I want to appeal to people of Warri South to adhere strictly to the state government directives of stay at home and follow the preventive measures outlined.”