The governor tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 24, 2020 but has since recovered and ended his self-isolation after testing negative on Thursday, April 9.

During an interview on Channels TV on Monday, April 13, Mohammed said he never developed symptoms of the disease throughout his recovery process.

However, he said it was very stressful for him as he was under severe pressure worrying about his fate.

He said, "It is a very traumatic experience for one to know that you are infected by a disease for which there is no vaccine, presumably.

"I thought I was going to die, but certainly I had a very strong will to live.

"I was put on certain medication by my doctor, that is antibiotics and malaria drugs.

"I never had any manifestation of the symptoms all the period that I was there (in isolation), but I was under severe suspense that it might come any time."

Mohammed, 61, lamented that the Federal Government failed to issue a lockdown of Bauchi to contain the virus as was imposed on Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on March 30.

President Muhammadu Buhari implemented an initial 14-day lockdown on the states because most of Nigeria's cases have been recorded there. Lagos and the FCT alone, as of April 12, have recorded 71.8% (232 cases) of Nigeria's total number of cases - 323. The president extended the lockdown for another two weeks on Monday.

Bauchi had only two cases when the initial lockdown was implemented, but he said the Federal Government should have locked down the state too.

"We were excluded for political reasons. I don't understand. We don't have the economic capacity to do a lockdown.

"If you don't give palliatives, there is no how you'll tell 7 million people of Bauchi (to stay at home).

"It is morally wrong for me to lock down everybody and stop them from going for their daily subsistence when our macro-ecnomic realities is that we go for daily work to eke a living or put food on the table," he said.

The governor said the state can only afford to do a lot of sensitisation of proper hygiene, and close all points of entry.

Even though the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has listed six cases in Bauchi, Mohammed said there are only four cases, including himself. He didn't explain the reason for the conflict in figures.

Nigeria has recorded coronavirus cases in 19 states and the FCT, as of April 12.

85 people have recovered from the virus and been discharged, but 10 people have died.

Total confirmed cases - 323

Recovered - 85

Dead - 10