BY EMMA PETER, ABUJA
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its preparedness to contain the Ebola outbreak, saying surveillance systems, contact tracing and emergency response mechanisms have been activated to prevent further spread of the virus.
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, and Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance on Wednesday after an emergency meeting of the task force at the State House, Abuja.
Gbajabiamila said the task force had been working behind the scenes since its inauguration in June 2026, strengthening the country’s preparedness and response capabilities against Ebola and other emerging public health threats.
He explained that the existing surveillance measures and established protocols contributed to the early identification of the index case recently detected in Abuja, despite the infected passenger initially showing no symptoms.
According to him, approximately 44,000 flights had entered and departed Nigeria since concerns over Ebola emerged in June, underscoring the importance of sustained surveillance and coordination among the Ministry of Health, the task force and relevant government agencies.
“It’s very important to note this. Since the issue of Ebola came up in June, there have been about 44,000 flights in and out of Nigeria. So, it’s because of what the Ministry of Health, the task force and all the agencies have been doing. All hands have been on deck,” he said.
The Chief of Staff explained that the infected passenger developed symptoms four days after arriving in Abuja, adding that the identification process and established protocols enabled the authorities to detect the case.
He said the development demonstrated Nigeria’s capacity to respond to public health emergencies, while assuring citizens that the government would strengthen existing protocols and enforce compliance more rigorously.
“The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; everyone is on deck. We must build community trust and avoid panic, but it’s also important to state clearly that this is a collaborative effort between the government and the people,” Gbajabiamila said.
He urged Nigerians to cooperate with public health authorities and comply with preventive measures, stressing that public participation would be essential to containing the virus.
Also speaking, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, said Nigeria had competent health authorities and established surveillance systems capable of supporting the response to the outbreak.
Pate noted that relevant agencies, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Nigeria Immigration Service, aviation authorities, private healthcare providers and state-level health institutions, were working together to prevent further transmission.
He disclosed that contact tracing was ongoing and that individuals identified as contacts of the imported index case were being isolated in line with established public health protocols.
According to the minister, the Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the NCDC, had activated the incident management system across the various response areas.
He said the agencies were working round the clock, while hospital preparedness and treatment capabilities had also been activated to support efforts to contain the outbreak.
Pate expressed confidence that Nigeria could contain the case, but cautioned that the government would not relax its efforts, urging citizens to take public health directives seriously.
He added that most states had developed response plans and that the government was mobilising the necessary resources and capabilities to strengthen preparedness across the country.
The minister also warned against the spread of misinformation and unverified reports, noting that baseless rumours could trigger unnecessary panic and undermine the national response.
“The key also for the population is to avoid spreading misinformation or baseless rumours, which can cause unnecessary panic,” he said.
Pate further expressed confidence in Nigeria’s public health professionals, recalling the country’s experience in containing Ebola in 2014 and the contributions Nigerian experts made to response efforts in other countries.
He said the experience and expertise of the country’s health professionals, combined with support from international partners, would strengthen ongoing efforts to control the current situation.
Members of the task force who attended the emergency meeting included the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Bunmi Kuku; FAAN General Manager, Adamu Adamu; WHO Representative, Pavel Ursu; and Special Regional Representative to the Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr. Aliko Ahmed.
Others present were the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations and Secretary of the task force, Oyinade Nathan-Marsh; Public Health Executive, Niniola Williams; FCT Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at the State House Medical Centre, Dr. Victoria Ogala.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Oduwole; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; and Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Donald Spiff, participated in the meeting virtually.
The emergency meeting followed the detection of the imported Ebola case in Abuja, with the Federal Government reiterating its commitment to strengthening surveillance, ensuring effective contact tracing and working with state authorities and international health partners to prevent further spread of the virus.
