ABUJA — The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that there is no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country, urging citizens to remain calm while remaining vigilant against the disease.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja during the inaugural meeting of the Communication Sub-Committee of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats.
Idris said although there was no confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria, recent developments in some African countries underscored the need for heightened preparedness.
“Let me reassure Nigerians that there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria. However, recent developments elsewhere in Africa remind us that infectious diseases know no borders,” he said.
The minister commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the Presidential Task Force, describing it as a proactive measure aimed at safeguarding the health and well-being of Nigerians through effective preparedness, coordination and timely intervention.
He stressed that effective communication would be central to managing any public health emergency, noting that timely, accurate and science-based information could save lives, while misinformation and rumours could undermine public confidence and hamper response efforts.
Idris recalled Nigeria’s successful containment of the Ebola outbreak in 2014, attributing the achievement to strong leadership, coordinated action, effective disease surveillance and sustained public awareness campaigns.
According to him, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has already commenced nationwide sensitisation using approved health messages developed in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
He reiterated that the government’s message remained clear that there was no confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria, there was no cause for panic, and that authorities were fully prepared and vigilant.
The minister also urged Nigerians to maintain good hygiene practices, promptly report suspected symptoms to health authorities and rely only on verified information from official government sources.
Among those who attended the meeting were the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Task Force, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye; the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, represented by his Special Assistant on Digital Communications, Saka Olugbenga; the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, represented by Dr. Tochi Okwor; the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu; the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Alhassan Yahya; the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku; and the Vice-President (North) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Hamza Idris, among other stakeholders.
