The Nasarawa State Government said it has tracked and returned four women who escaped from the quarantine centre at the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia.
Deputy Governor of the state and Chairman, State Taskforce on COVID-19, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, made this known on Monday in Lafia while briefing newsmen on the update of activities to curb the spread of the virus.
Recall that the women had been reported to have escaped from the quarantine centre on Sunday during a protest over alleged poor feeding and neglect by the state government.
Those quarantined include over 200 travellers from high risk states as well as Almajirai children from Bauchi State.
Briefing the press on Monday, Akabe acknowledged the protest at the isolation centre.
He said: “It is true there was a protest by those quarantined at the holding centre at the Nasarawa State Polytechnic Lafia and four women escaped during the protest.
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“All the women were traced and had since been returned to the centre for continued evaluation before they are released if found to be free of the virus.
“We are not holding them because we hate them; we only want to ensure that people from high risk areas are properly checked and certified to be free of the virus before they meet their families.”
The Deputy Gov. said those quarantined were being properly taken care of, contrary to the reports making the round.
“Humans naturally do not want to be confined to one place, that was just the reason for the protest and not because of poor feeding or neglect,” he stressed.
He disclosed that samples from many of them had already taken for testing with some found positive, while other results were still being awaited.