The Federal Government has activated emergency response mechanisms to contain the spread of the Ebola virus.

It assured Nigerians that the country possesses the technical expertise, surveillance infrastructure and medical facilities required to prevent its spread.

The government urged citizens to remain calm and comply with public health directives.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, spoke after an emergency meeting of the task force at the State House, Abuja.

He said the infected traveller, a woman who arrived in Abuja without exhibiting symptoms, developed signs of the disease four days after her arrival but was identified through surveillance and screening protocols already established by the government.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Gbajabiamila said the detection of the index case on Tuesday demonstrated the effectiveness of preventive measures introduced following the inauguration of the task force in June.

According to him, approximately 44,000 flights had operated into and out of Nigeria since June, with relevant health and border control agencies maintaining surveillance to detect potential threats.

“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.

Explaining how the patient was identified, Gbajabiamila said: “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.

“That also speaks of the country’s capacity and ability to deal with this disease as best as we can.”

The Chief of Staff said the government would review existing containment measures, strengthen areas requiring improvement and ensure stricter enforcement of established health protocols.

He stressed that the response required cooperation between government institutions and the public, warning that panic and non-compliance could undermine ongoing efforts.

“The Task Force is on top of it. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (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.

Gbajabiamila appealed to Nigerians to cooperate with health authorities and comply with all directives issued to protect public health.

The emergency meeting was attended by key officials responsible for border security, aviation, healthcare delivery and disease surveillance.

Among them were the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Bunmi Kuku; World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative, Pavel Ursu; and Special Regional Representative to the Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr. Aliko Ahmed.

Others were Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations and Secretary of the Task Force, Oyinade Nathan-Marsh; Public Health Executive, Niniola Williams; Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment in the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the State House Medical Centre, Dr. Victoria Ogala.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olajumoke Oduwole; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; and Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Donald Spiff, participated virtually.

Pate: No need for hysteria

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the government was collaborating with Uganda and had activated the necessary containment measures following the confirmation of Nigeria’s first Ebola case in more than a decade.

He expressed confidence in the country’s ability to manage the situation, citing Nigeria’s successful containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the capacity of its public health institutions.

Pate said: “We have been conducting contact tracing diligently and isolating those contacts of the index imported case in this country.

“We will continue to do that, and we want to reassure Nigerians that the Federal Government, alongside its technical partners, the World Health Organisation, the Africa Centre for Disease Control, and our own NCDC, have activated the incident management system across the various pillars.”

The minister said hospitals and other medical facilities had been placed on alert to ensure the country could respond effectively to additional suspected cases.

“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.

Pate noted that most states already had emergency response plans, while the Federal Government was mobilising additional resources to strengthen preparedness and containment capabilities nationwide.

“We have the resources, and we’re mobilising those capabilities. And we’re also confident that if we continue on this path, we should be able to dent this outbreak,” he stated.

The minister cautioned Nigerians against circulating unverified information about the disease, warning that rumours and false reports could generate unnecessary fear and complicate the government’s response.

He said the country was drawing on the experience of public health professionals who successfully tackled the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and subsequently assisted other countries in managing similar emergencies.

“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.

Patient developed multiple organ failure

Director of Public Health Laboratory Services, Olajumoke Babatunde, was quoted as saying that three rounds of molecular tests confirmed that the infection was caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease.

The patient, with a recent travel history to East Africa, was confirmed positive on Tuesday and placed in isolation at a private health facility in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Pate, in a television programme, said the patient has received appropriate medical care, adding: “We are fortunate she is stable at this moment, but anything can change at any moment.”

According to WHO, her symptoms began on October 7, and she sought medical attention on October 11.

Health authorities have identified 44 contacts for monitoring, including people who may have been exposed to the patient, while investigations continue to establish the source of infection and identify additional contacts.

46 contacts placed on no-fly list

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), directed aviation authorities to place 46 people linked to the country’s first confirmed Ebola case in a decade on a no-fly list for at least 21 days, while ordering heightened surveillance protocols at all international airports.

In a statement posted on X, Keyamo said he held a virtual meeting with Pat to discuss the situation.

He said Pate shared a list of 44 individuals who came into contact with the affected patient at the hospital after she developed symptoms, plus two members of her domestic staff.

“Whilst efforts are ongoing to isolate them for now until there is certainty they had not been infected with the virus, the Aviation authorities are required to put them on a no-fly list for at least 21 days (which is the period that the symptoms are normally expected to manifest),” Keyamo stated.

He directed the NCAA to immediately inform all local and international airlines of the restriction.

Keyamo also instructed FAAN to intensify Ebola response and surveillance measures across the country’s international airports.

Existing FAAN protocols already include enhanced health screenings, temperature checks, travel history tracking, digital health declarations, and close coordination with the NCDC, following earlier regional outbreak alerts.

Senate, Reps demand emergency funds

The National Assembly called for urgent emergency funding and heightened surveillance to prevent the infection from spreading.

The Senate urged the Federal Government to release funds through the Service-Wide Vote to strengthen screening, surveillance and containment.

It warned against delays pending the 2027 budget.

The call followed a motion sponsored by Senator Francis Ade Faduyile (APC, Ondo South), who proposed mandatory health declaration forms, temperature checks and symptom screening for international arrivals.

He also called for enhanced screening of travellers who had visited or transited through affected areas within 21 days, alongside trained port health officers, protective equipment, thermal scanners and isolation facilities.

Senator Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central) said the government should not wait for the next budget cycle to equip the NCDC and Port Health Services.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed concern over reported lapses in screening at the country’s entry points. He said screening should cover all international arrivals, not only travellers coming directly from countries reporting infections, because passengers could transit through other countries.

The Senate also urged its Committee on Judiciary to engage relevant health authorities on amendments to the Quarantine Act of 1926.

The House of Representatives, acting on a motion sponsored by Amobi Ogah (LP, Abia), called for the mobilisation of federal, state and private health agencies and the release of outstanding appropriated funds to relevant institutions.

It mandated its Committee on Infectious Diseases to obtain updates on the outbreak and assess the country’s preparedness for further legislative action.

WHO, Africa CDC urge vigilance

WHO advised against restrictions on travel to or trade with affected countries, saying it would continue monitoring measures introduced in response to the outbreak.

The organisation said it was supporting Nigerian health authorities with case investigations, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and essential supplies, including personal protective equipment for health workers.

It also urged countries in the region to maintain strong surveillance, ensure laboratory readiness and keep rapid-response and clinical teams prepared for immediate deployment.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) called for greater international solidarity to contain the expanding Bundibugyo outbreak. (The Nation)