FG strengthens Ebola surveillance at points of entry amid regional outbreak concerns

The Federal Government is weighing stricter travel and health measures, including possible flight restrictions and passenger isolation, as concerns grow over the renewed Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa.

The move was disclosed on Thursday by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, after a high-level emergency meeting in Victoria Island, Lagos, focused on Nigeria’s preparedness against the deadly virus.

According to Gbajabiamila, the government is considering restricting flights from countries currently affected by Ebola as part of efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nigeria.

He explained that authorities are also reviewing plans to isolate travellers who display symptoms linked to the virus at airports and other entry points across the country.

The strategic meeting brought together top government officials and health experts, including the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; and Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi.

Gbajabiamila said President Bola Tinubu had already been briefed on the worsening Ebola situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, adding that the administration was determined to prevent any outbreak in Nigeria.

“We have a health scare, which is Ebola, and we all know what happened the last time. The cases are getting worse internationally, and we do not want to leave anything to chance,” he said.

He stated that discussions during the meeting focused on several preventive measures, including travel restrictions, passenger isolation and stricter airport screening procedures.

“There were three or four areas we looked at.

”We examined the possibility of restricting flights from countries of interest. We also discussed isolating passengers who may exhibit symptoms of Ebola,” Gbajabiamila added.

He further revealed that government officials considered using cargo terminals and designated isolation areas to manage travellers arriving from high-risk countries.

“We believe prevention is better than cure. Even where some passengers slip through the cracks, there must be systems in place to handle such situations quickly and effectively,” he said.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, assured Nigerians that all entry points into the country would be placed under close monitoring.

He noted that the Nigeria Immigration Service would collaborate with the NCDC and other agencies to strengthen early detection and rapid response mechanisms.

On his part, NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, warned that Ebola remains one of the world’s most dangerous viral diseases, stressing that vigilance and public cooperation are critical.

He disclosed that preparedness plans had already been activated in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while nationwide awareness campaigns would be intensified.

“This particular virus has no treatment and no vaccine. What is most important are public health measures such as isolation, quick detection, infection prevention and public enlightenment,” Idris said.

He explained that the agency had already issued health advisories and was engaging healthcare workers across the country because they remain among the most vulnerable groups during outbreaks.

Idris also assured Nigerians that precautionary measures had been strengthened nationwide to improve the country’s readiness against any possible Ebola case.

The renewed concern follows reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which confirmed that the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded 10 confirmed Ebola deaths and 223 suspected fatalities since the outbreak was declared in mid-May.

The WHO added that more than 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases had already been reported, raising fears of wider regional spread.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also warned that persistent insecurity and armed conflict in eastern DR Congo were making efforts to contain the outbreak increasingly difficult.