The Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats has assured Nigerians it will possibly deal with Ebola within the nation.
The Chairman of the Task Force and Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, mentioned this whereas talking to newsmen after the group’s emergency assembly on the State House on Wednesday.
Gbajabiamila mentioned the Task Force has been working behind the scenes because it was inaugurated in June this 12 months. He added that this is the reason it was straightforward to detect the index case found yesterday.
“It’s essential to notice this. Since the problem of Ebola got here up in June, there have been about 44, 000 flights out and in of Nigeria. So, it’s due to what the Ministry of Health, the duty drive and all of the businesses have been doing. All arms have been on deck.
“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. That also speaks to the country’s capacity and ability to deal with this disease as best as we can,” he mentioned.
He assured Nigerians that the Task Force would strengthen no matter wanted strengthening, the protocols, and guarantee extra rigorous enforcement shifting ahead.
“The Task Force is on prime of it. NCDC is on prime of it; everyone seems to be on deck. We should construct group belief and keep away from panic, nevertheless it’s additionally vital to state clearly that it is a collaborative effort between the federal government and the folks.
He appealed to all Nigerians to answer requires compliance for the nice of all.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, mentioned Nigeria has competent well being authorities, together with non-public hospital operators and businesses, Immigration, Aviation, Interior, and subnational actors, who’ve put surveillance techniques in place throughout the nation, prepared to reply.
“We have been conducting contact tracing diligently and isolating these contacts of the index imported case on this nation. We will proceed to do this, and we need to reassure Nigerians that the federal authorities, alongside its technical companions, the World Health Organisation, the Africa Centre for Disease Control, and our personal Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, have activated the incident administration system throughout the varied pillars.
“They are working day and night diligently, and our hospital capabilities are also activated, such that we can aim to contain this case, as has been the case in other countries, but we will not relent. Our population should respect public health directives.”
“Most of our states have adequate response plans. We have the resources, and we’re mobilising those capabilities. And we’re also confident that if we continue on this path, we should be able to dent this outbreak.”
He additional urged residents to keep away from misinformation whereas combating the virus.
“The key additionally for the inhabitants is to keep away from spreading misinformation or baseless rumours, which might trigger pointless panic. The Task Force management has met. WHO and AfricaCDC are working intently with the staff.
“In addition to our exceptional public health physicians who had successfully tamed this virus in 2014, and had contributed to other countries, we are confident that if we continue in this direction, we will emerge out of this crisis in a much stronger place,” Pate assured.
Other members of the committee on the assembly had been the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Bunmi Kuku; General Manager (FAAN), Adamu Adamu; WHO Representative, Pavel Ursu; Special Regional Representative to the Director General, Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Aliko Ahmed.
Others embody the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations and the Secretary of the Task Force, Oyinade Nathan-Marsh; Public Health Executive, Niniola Williams; Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, FCT, Dr Dolapo Fasawe; and Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (State House Medical Centre), Dr Victoria Ogala.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Oduwole; Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Professor Akin Abayomi; and Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards (DOLTS), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Donald Spiff, additionally joined the assembly through Zoom.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)
October 21, 2026
From Left: Special Regional Representative to the Director General, Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Aliko Ahmed; Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations and Secretary of the Task Force, Mrs. Oyinade Nathan-Marsh; Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, FCT, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mohammad Ali Pate; WHO Representative, Pavel Ursu, in a Group Photograph after an emergency assembly of the presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease within the State House on Wednesday, October 21, 2026
