Abdulraheem’s mother, Mrs Musa Hajara Obanyi, has said that she refused to evacuate her son from Wuhan because it was not the right step to take in the prevailing situation of outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.
Mrs Musa, whose son is undergoing a doctoral degree in international law at the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the 2019 novel coronavirus, told Sunday Sun in Abuja that calls for the evacuation of Nigerians in Wuhan were unnecessary.
The retired civil servant and native of Okene, Kogi State, said normally, the news of the outbreak was very shocking, but that she was impressed about the level of attack and address the Government of the People’s Republic of China had accorded the situation so far.
Mrs Musa who disclosed that she was initially scared when she learnt about the development, said that as soon as she heard the news on television, she immediately got across to Wuhan and was briefed about the situation as favourable.
“Normally, it is very shocking. But then, I am impressed about the level of attack and address the Chinese government has given it so far.
“I received the news on the television. My next action was to put a call across to China. But I couldn’t get my son, so I became more worried. But I was quick enough to get a friend of his who told me they were all right and that there was no problem.
“Evacuation of my son could lead to another crisis because he is in the university campus. What he told me was that immediately it happened, they were told not to move out. And at least, I was sure that the spread cannot just get to the university except there is a case identified in the university. So, I said okay, remain where you are until you know the further action the government needs to take,” she said.
She also said that the decision by the House of Representatives that Nigerians in Wuhan should not be evacuated was totally in order, adding that considering China’s level of addressing the situation, the epidemic immediately became the concern of everybody in the country and in the world.
“Again, the World Health Organisation declared it as an epidemic, but did not declare it as pandemic. I am in touch with my son on a daily basis. He is very good,” Mrs Musa added.
Asked if her son was not amongst Nigerians asking the government to evacuate them, she said: “Never, never.
“I have talked to him and three close friends of his that are Nigerians and are schooling in Wuhan and they said they are not part of it.”
Aside the issue of evacuation, Mrs Musa said that the government should kindly look into the welfare of Nigerians in Wuhan, putting into consideration that they are restricted to their campuses and cannot go out.