The Federal Government is considering flight restrictions and passenger isolation measures as Nigeria ramps up efforts to prevent a possible Ebola outbreak linked to the worsening situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
According to a report by Channels Television, the move was discussed during a high-level emergency preparedness meeting held in Lagos and led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila said the government was reviewing the possibility of restricting flights from countries affected by the Ebola outbreak, while also considering the isolation of travellers showing symptoms at airports and other entry points.
He said authorities were determined not to repeat the mistakes that allowed previous outbreaks to spread, stressing that “prevention is better than cure”.
The meeting was attended by key officials, including Jide Idris, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and Lagos State Health Commissioner Akin Abayomi.
Gbajabiamila said President Bola Tinubu had already been briefed on the Ebola situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, adding that the administration was committed to strengthening surveillance and emergency response systems nationwide.
The government is also considering using cargo terminals to process passengers arriving from high-risk countries as part of stricter containment measures.
Tunji-Ojo said all entry points into Nigeria would face tighter monitoring, with the Nigeria Immigration Service expected to work closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on early detection and rapid response.
Meanwhile, Idris warned that Ebola remains a highly dangerous viral disease with no known cure or approved vaccine currently available for widespread use, making public health measures critical.
He said preparedness plans had already been activated across Nigeria’s 36 states, while awareness campaigns would be intensified to educate citizens and healthcare workers on prevention protocols.
The World Health Organization said it had recorded 10 confirmed and 223 suspected Ebola-related deaths in DR Congo since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. More than 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases have also been reported.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that insecurity in eastern DR Congo was complicating efforts to contain the outbreak.
