The Taraba State Government has rejected 100 Quranic education pupils, popularly known as Almajiri, believed to be from the state, who were repatriated from Nasarawa State.
The pupils were taken to the state following an agreement by northern states governors that they be returned to their states of origin as part of measures to save vulnerable groups from the Coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Innocent Vakai, the Chairman of the Taraba COVID-19 Technical Committee, made this disclosure on Monday while briefing newsmen in Jalingo.
The northern governors forum had resolved that repatriated Almajiri must undergo tests to determine their COVID-19 status.
The repatriated pupils are also to be accompanied by officials from their state of repatriation and the results of their tests be presented to their state of origin.
Vakai, who is also the Commissioner for Health in the state, added that proper documentation must be made for them to be accepted.
He said the state had not started the repatriation of its own pupils to their states of origin.
He said the state government was in collaboration with the Northern Governors’ Forum to procure mobile testing kits, adding that such would enhance capacity to conduct tests on many people in the state.
Vakai announced that Talatu Idris, the COVID-19 positive patient, who had earlier escaped from the state isolation centre, had been returned to the centre by the committee.
The commissioner, who did not disclose how the woman was found, said no suspect was being quarantined at the moment.
He explained that the 122 quarantined suspects in the state had earlier been discharged after the 14 days incubation period, warning that the lockdown measure in the state was still in force.
The commissioner called on the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious case of COVID-19 to the committee.
NAN recalls that Idris had earlier escaped from the state’s COVID- 19 quarantine centre.