The Supreme Court has dismissed media reports that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Tanko, has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, a member of the Supreme Court, reportedly announced on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 that Tanko was receiving treatment in the United Arab Emirates after testing positive for the novel disease.

However, the spokesperson of the Supreme Court, Festus Akande, said in a statement later on Tuesday there's no medical record to show the CJN is receiving treatment for COVID-19 infection.

"Those peddling the rumour should go a step further to confirm from their sources and equally obtain the copy of whatever laboratory test result they are relying on," he said.

A total of 73,374 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in Nigeria since February.

While 66,314 people have recovered, 1,197 people have died from the novel disease first detected in China in December 2019.