Nigeria has placed 46 people who came into contact with an Ebola patient on a no-fly list for at least 21 days as authorities intensify efforts to contain the virus following a confirmed case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the restriction after a virtual meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
Keyamo said the 46 people comprise 44 individuals who encountered the affected woman at a hospital after she developed symptoms and two members of her domestic staff.
He said aviation authorities would restrict their air travel while health officials isolate and monitor them to determine whether they have contracted the virus.
“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,” Keyamo said in a statement posted on his verified X account.
He added that he had directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to notify domestic and international airlines immediately about the restriction.
Keyamo also directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to strengthen Ebola surveillance and response measures at all international airports in the country.
The measures include enhanced health screening, temperature checks, travel history monitoring, digital health declarations and coordination with relevant public health agencies.
FAAN said it was maintaining heightened vigilance across airport operations while working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Port Health Services, the NCAA and other agencies.
In a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, the authority urged passengers and airport users to remain calm and cooperate with health officials.
“The public is also advised to rely on verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports,” FAAN said.
The authorities have not disclosed the location of the hospital where the 44 contacts encountered the patient. They have also not confirmed whether any of the 46 individuals has tested positive for Ebola.
Presidential task force assures Nigerians
Meanwhile, the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats has assured Nigerians that the country has the capacity to contain the outbreak.
The task force chairman and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said existing surveillance systems and health protocols helped authorities identify the case quickly.
Speaking after an emergency meeting at the State House, Gbajabiamila said the task force had been working with relevant agencies since its inauguration some months back.
He said Nigeria had recorded about 44,000 flights in and out of the country since concerns about Ebola emerged, adding that surveillance measures remained critical to detecting potential cases.
“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,” he said.
Gbajabiamila pledged to strengthen existing protocols and ensure stricter enforcement while urging Nigerians to cooperate with public health authorities.
“The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; everyone is on deck,” he said, calling for public cooperation to prevent panic.
Health authorities intensify contact tracing
Pate said health authorities were conducting contact tracing and isolating people who had encountered the index case.
He said the Federal Government was working with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the NCDC to coordinate the response.
“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,” Pate said.
He added that hospitals and response teams had activated their preparedness measures, while states were mobilising resources to support containment efforts.
Pate urged Nigerians to follow public health directives and avoid spreading misinformation that could trigger unnecessary panic.
The Federal Government confirmed an Ebola case in the FCT. Prompting intensified surveillance and coordination among health, aviation and other relevant authorities.
Officials say they will continue to monitor contacts, strengthen screening measures and enforce public health protocols to prevent further transmission.
