Nigeria’s Senate has mandated an investigation into recent reports of new COVID-19 cases following conflicting information from health authorities and state officials.

The directive was issued by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, instructing the Senate Committee on Health, chaired by Ipalibo Banigo, to verify the claims and submit its findings by next Tuesday.

The decision comes amid reports alleging the emergence of 10 new COVID-19 cases in Cross River State. However, the state government has dismissed the reports, maintaining that only one confirmed case has been recorded.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Cross River State Ministry of Health had earlier confirmed a single case in April 2026, assuring the public that there is no indication of widespread community transmission.

According to health authorities, the confirmed case involves a 53-year-old Chinese expatriate who arrived in Nigeria on March 17, 2026, and later travelled to Calabar for work. The individual reportedly developed symptoms on April 10 and tested positive on April 17. He is currently in stable condition and receiving treatment at an isolation facility in Calabar.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, dismissed claims of multiple infections. He explained that the confusion likely arose from the identification of 10 contacts linked to the confirmed case, which may have been misinterpreted as additional infections.

The Senate’s probe is expected to clarify the situation and ensure accurate public communication regarding COVID-19 developments in the country.