A member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Adamu Suleiman, has died of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Suleiman is the first patient to die of COVID-19 complications in the north-central state since Nasarawa reported its index case of the disease.

The state governor, Abdullahi Sule, announced the death of the lawmaker while briefing reporters on Sunday in Lafia, the state capital.

Giving an update on the disease, He revealed that Suleiman died before the result of his test came back positive.

“There is also one member of the House of Assembly who was admitted in Keffi and started showing signs and after we took his samples, unfortunately before the results came out, he died and he was buried according to Muslim rites.

“However, yesterday by the time his result came out, it turned out to be positive. So that really complicated our situation because the member had been part of all recent sittings of the members of the assembly,” Governor Sule said.

He explained that after the COVID-19 status of the lawmaker was discovered, members of his family and those living in the house went into isolation.

The governor added that their samples have also been collected for testing by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

He noted that Suleiman was buried according to Islamic rites without adherence to safety measures, as it was not clear if he died of COVID-19 then.

Governor Sule gave the assurance that those who performed the burial rites of the lawmaker would also be isolated and tested for COVID-19.

According to him, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly complex is to be closed until it is decontaminated.

The governor revealed, “Because of his (Suleiman’s) association and contact, we have decided to close down the House of Assembly until we trace all his contacts.

“I am happy to state that all the members of the House of Assembly have agreed to be isolated and samples of some of them have been collected which is to be taken to the NCDC today.”

“We are also isolating the family of the late member and also those who attended the burial, especially those who gave him the usual ritual bath.

“Once more, I want to appeal to the people of Nasarawa for their cooperation during this period,” he added.

Until his death, Suleiman was the lawmaker representing Nasarawa Central Constituency at the State House of Assembly.