Adedokun Waliyu 
The Federal Government is considering possible flight restrictions from countries affected by Ebola as part of efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, after a high-level meeting held in Victoria Island, Lagos, to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and response plans against Ebola.
Gbajabiamila said the government is also considering isolating passengers who show symptoms associated with Ebola at the country’s entry points.
The meeting included key officials such as the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris; the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; and the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi.
According to Gbajabiamila, President Bola Tinubu has already been briefed on the Ebola situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, and the government is determined to prevent any outbreak in Nigeria.
He said the administration is committed to strengthening surveillance systems, emergency response measures, and cooperation among relevant agencies to protect public health.
“We have a health scare, which is Ebola, and we all know what happened the last time. The cases are getting worse internationally and worldwide, and we don’t want to leave anything to chance,” Gbajabiamila said.
He explained that the government examined the possibility of restricting flights from affected countries, isolating passengers with Ebola symptoms, and using cargo terminals to manage travellers arriving from high-risk areas.
“We believe that prevention is better than cure,” he added.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stated that all entry points into Nigeria would be placed under strict monitoring to prevent any outbreak.
He said the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) would collaborate closely with the NCDC to improve early detection and rapid response efforts.
NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, warned that Ebola remains a dangerous viral disease with no known cure or vaccine, stressing the importance of constant vigilance, especially among healthcare workers.
He said preparedness plans have already been activated across all 36 states and that public awareness campaigns would be intensified to educate Nigerians on prevention and response measures.
“We have our preparedness plan covering all state governments and all ports of entry,” Idris said.
“This particular virus has no treatment, no vaccines. So it’s the public health measures that need to be done — isolation, quick detection, public enlightenment, infection prevention, and control.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently reported 10 confirmed Ebola deaths and 223 suspected deaths in DR Congo since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, with more than 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases recorded.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has expressed concern that insecurity and conflict in eastern DR Congo are making it difficult to contain the outbreak.
