Nigeria Considers Flight Restrictions Over Ebola Threat

By Babatunji Wusu

The Federal Government is weighing possible flight restrictions from countries affected by the Ebola outbreak as authorities move to prevent the deadly virus from entering Nigeria.

The update came after a high-level meeting in Lagos involving officials from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Ministry of Interior, and the Lagos State Government. Speaking after the meeting, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the government had started reviewing several emergency measures to strengthen the country’s health protection system.

According to him, officials are considering tighter checks at airports, including isolating passengers who show signs of the Ebola virus. Authorities also discussed the use of special cargo terminals for travellers arriving from countries currently affected by the disease.

“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 don’t want to leave anything to chance,” he said.

Gbajabiamila explained that President Bola Tinubu had already received updates about the Ebola situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. He assured Nigerians that the government would take every necessary step to stop the virus from spreading into the country.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stated that all entry points into Nigeria would face strict monitoring, while immigration officials would work closely with the NCDC on early detection measures.

NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, warned that the Ebola outbreak remains extremely dangerous, stressing the importance of quick detection, isolation, and public awareness. He also confirmed that emergency preparedness plans are now active across all 36 states.

Do you think Nigeria is doing enough to prevent another Ebola outbreak?