- Surveillance, Airport Screening, Contact Tracing, Isolation Centers Readiness Under Scrutiny
- Atiku Questions Why It Took 9-Day To Confirm Abuja Case, Demands ₦10bn Ebola Fund Audit
- FG Assures Nigerians, Vows To Strengthen Containment Measures
Nigeria’s battle against Ebola has entered a critical phase, with the confirmation of a case in Abuja placing the Federal Government’s preparedness measures under intense scrutiny and raising fresh questions about whether emergency funding has translated into effective protection for citizens.
TheMatrix Newspaper reports that the Federal Government confirmed an Ebola case on October 20, 2026, after laboratory tests returned positive for a woman who had recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
The patient was admitted to a private hospital in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where she received treatment before the diagnosis was established.
According to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the patient was isolated and receiving medical care, while public health authorities identified 44 close contacts and commenced monitoring to prevent further spread.
The confirmation has transformed what had been a preparedness exercise into a real-world test of the country’s emergency response arrangements.
At the heart of the controversy is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s June 9 announcement approving the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, alongside an order for the immediate release of ₦10 billion to strengthen the operational capacity of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(NCDC) and support emergency response activities.
The task force, chaired by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, was expected to coordinate preparedness measures involving federal agencies, state governments and other relevant institutions.
The measures announced included enhanced screening at international airports, stronger monitoring of passengers arriving from high-risk routes, activation of referral and isolation facilities, and improved coordination among agencies responsible for public health and border management.
Following the confirmed case, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar launched a blistering attack on President Tinubu’s administration over Nigeria’s preparedness for Ebola, demanding a full account of the ₦10 billion announced for emergency response and accusing the government of leaving critical questions unanswered.
Atiku, who described the outbreak as a grave public health threat, said the incident had exposed troubling questions about disease surveillance, emergency funding, the protection of frontline health workers and the effectiveness of the government’s response.
He challenged the Federal Government to publish details of the money actually released, the dates of disbursement, contracts awarded, beneficiaries and supplies delivered, insisting that public announcements could not substitute for a transparent audit.
“Where is the money?” the former vice-president asked, demanding that Tinubu explain whether the emergency funding announced in June had reached the agencies and personnel responsible for protecting Nigerians.
In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said the confirmed case had raised serious questions about the country’s readiness to contain the disease.
“The timeline is damning,” he declared, pointing to the sequence of events involving the patient, who reportedly arrived in Nigeria on October 5, developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical attention at a private hospital on October 11.
According to Atiku, the case was not publicly confirmed until October 20, nine days after the patient sought care.
He questioned what surveillance measures were activated during the intervening period, whether the patient’s travel history and possible exposure were promptly assessed, and when health authorities began monitoring the 44 close contacts reportedly identified in connection with the case.
The former vice-president also raised concerns about the alleged lack of adequate protective equipment for private healthcare workers who attended to the patient, warning that weaknesses in infection prevention could expose medical personnel and create additional risks for the wider population.
Atiku called on the government to provide a detailed account of the response at every stage, including when the contacts were reached, what monitoring arrangements were established and why frontline workers allegedly lacked the equipment they needed.
He insisted that any shortcomings established by an independent investigation must attract accountability.
“A press statement cannot replace an audit,” Atiku said, arguing that the public needed documentary evidence to establish whether the intervention translated into practical improvements in the country’s outbreak-response capacity.
His demand raises questions about the distinction between announcing emergency funding and demonstrating that the money was released, properly utilised and converted into operational readiness.
Task Force Under Scrutiny
Atiku also questioned the structure of the Presidential Task Force announced in June, which he said was chaired by Gbajabiamila.
He warned against allowing political appointees to overshadow the medical and public health professionals responsible for directing disease surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing and infection control.
According to him NCDC, epidemiologists, doctors and other public health experts must have the authority and resources required to lead the technical response.
“Political titles cannot trace contacts, equip hospitals or save lives,” he said.⁷
Atiku Raises Alarm Over Campaign Rallies
Beyond the immediate health emergency, Atiku alleged that the government intended to use the Ebola scare to discourage Nigerians from attending political campaign rallies and, ultimately, from voting.
He claimed to have received information that a scheduled press conference by the Minister of Health was intended to promote restrictions on political gatherings.
Atiku also questioned the minister’s role in the response, alleging that the ministry had received only ₦35 million in disbursements under the 2025 appropriation and had not been involved in the Ebola prevention programme.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its capacity to contain the Ebola threat, saying surveillance systems and emergency protocols activated since June helped authorities detect the imported case in Abuja.
The assurance followed an emergency meeting of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats at the State House on Wednesday, amid heightened public concern over the confirmed case.
Speaking after the meeting, Gbajabiamila, said the committee had been working behind the scenes since its inauguration in June to strengthen the country’s preparedness.
He noted that approximately 44,000 flights had operated into and out of Nigeria since preparedness measures began, underscoring the scale of the surveillance challenge.
Gbajabiamila said protocols established by the Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies helped authorities identify the infected passenger after symptoms developed.
He pledged to strengthen existing safeguards and ensure stricter enforcement of public health measures.
“The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; everyone is on deck,” he said, urging Nigerians to cooperate with health authorities and avoid panic.
He stressed that containing the disease required public trust and collaboration between the government and citizens.
Contact Tracing, Isolation Underway
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said Nigeria had competent health professionals and surveillance systems involving public and private hospitals, aviation authorities, security agencies and state governments.
He disclosed that contact tracing was ongoing and that people identified as contacts of the imported case were being isolated and monitored in line with established protocols.
Pate said the Federal Government, working with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and NCDC, had activated the incident management system across relevant response areas.
He added that emergency teams were working round the clock and hospital response capabilities had been activated to support containment.
While expressing confidence in Nigeria’s ability to contain the case, the minister said authorities would sustain surveillance and mobilise additional resources where necessary. He also noted that most states had response plans in place.
FG Warns Against Misinformation
Pate urged Nigerians to avoid spreading unverified reports and rumours that could trigger unnecessary panic, stressing the importance of complying with official public health directives.
Citing Nigeria’s successful containment of Ebola in 2014, he said the experience of public health professionals involved in that response would help strengthen current efforts.
He expressed confidence that cooperation with international health partners and lessons from previous outbreaks would support the country’s response.
Multi-Agency Response
The emergency meeting brought together representatives of institutions responsible for public health, border control, aviation safety and emergency coordination.
Those present included Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Bunmi Kuku; FAAN General Manager Adamu Adamu; WHO representative Pavel Ursu; and Africa CDC Special Regional Representative to the Director-General, Dr Aliko Ahmed.
Others were the task force secretary and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations, Oyinade Nathan-Marsh; public health executive Niniola Williams; FCT Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, Dr Dolapo Fasawe; and Chairman of the State House Medical Centre’s Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Victoria Ogala.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi; and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards, Captain Donald Spiff, joined the meeting virtually.
