By Omoyeni Ojeifo
Following the detection of Nigeria’s index case of Ebola Virus Disease, the Federal Government has moved to strengthen surveillance, intensify contact tracing and tighten enforcement of public health protocols to prevent further transmission.
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance after the task force’s emergency meeting at the State House on Wednesday.
According to him, the surveillance measures already in place had helped health authorities identify the imported case, adding that the government would reinforce existing protocols.
“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.
He explained that the infected passenger initially showed no symptoms, with symptoms developing four days after the woman arrived in Abuja.
“The passenger with the disease showed no symptoms, which came four days after the woman got into Abuja, and it was the identification process and the protocols that were put in place that enabled the quick identification,” he said.
The Chief of Staff to the President pledged to strengthen areas requiring improvement and ensure stricter enforcement of existing measures.
“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,” he said.
He appealed to Nigerians to cooperate with health authorities and comply with public health directives in the interest of collective safety.
In his response, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, acknowledged that contact tracing was ongoing, with contacts of the imported case being isolated in line with established public health protocols.
He noted that the Federal Government, working with international and national health partners, had activated its incident management system to coordinate the response.
“They are working day and night diligently, and our hospital capabilities are also activated, such that we can aim to contain this case, as has been the case in other countries, but we will not relent. Our population should respect public health directives,” he said.
Pate added that most states had response plans and that the government was mobilising available resources to strengthen preparedness and containment efforts.
The minister also warned against misinformation and unverified claims that could trigger unnecessary public anxiety.
“The key also for the population is to avoid spreading misinformation or baseless rumours, which can cause unnecessary panic. The Task Force leadership has met. WHO and AfricaCDC are working closely with the team,” he said.
He expressed confidence in Nigeria’s public health professionals, citing their experience in containing the virus during the 2014 outbreak and supporting response efforts in other countries.
Other members of the task force include the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Bunmi Kuku; FAAN General Manager, Adamu Adamu; WHO representative, Pavel Ursu; and Special Regional Representative to the Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Aliko Ahmed.
Also present were the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations and task force secretary, Oyinade Nathan-Marsh; Public Health Executive, Niniola Williams; FCT Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; and Chairman of the State House Medical Centre’s Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Victoria Ogala.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke 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, joined the meeting virtually.
PerSecondNews recalls that Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola Virus Disease on October 20, 2026, involving a traveller who had recently arrived from Uganda.
Health authorities commenced contact tracing to identify and monitor people who may have been exposed to the virus, with 44 contacts identified in the initial response.
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