Ebola: Tinubu sets up communications taskforce, as NCDC confirms no case in Nigeria

By Precious Mark

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has established a Presidential Task Force to fortify Nigeria’s borders against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) warned that the risk of the disease being imported into the country is currently high.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja during the inaugural meeting of the Task Force’s Communication Sub-Committee.

Idris explained that the pan-governmental committee, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, was proactively created to mitigate and control any potential spread of the virus following a severe outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that has already claimed roughly 600 lives.

While emphasizing that Nigeria remains completely free of the virus, the Minister noted that regional migration patterns mean the country cannot afford to let its guard down.

“Let me reassure Nigerians that there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria. Let me repeat, no confirmed case. However, recent developments elsewhere in Africa remind us that infectious diseases are global.”

“The NCDC has assessed the risk of importation as high, given regional population movement and international travel. Consequently, surveillance has been strengthened at our points of entry, and health facilities have been placed on heightened alert,” Idris said.

The Minister explained that the newly inaugurated Communication Sub-Committee will spearhead a harmonized national risk communication strategy to prevent public panic and aggressively counter fake news.

Drawing confidence from Nigeria’s historic triumph over the virus in 2014 and its subsequent handling of COVID-19, Idris revealed that the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has already commenced grassroots sensitization across all 774 local government areas using NCDC-validated safety messages.

“Our assignment goes beyond just issuing press statements. We are to develop a comprehensive national risk communication strategy that is proactive, transparent, and accessible to all Nigerians, regardless of language or location. Accurate, timely, and science-based information saves lives, while misinformation and rumors can undermine public confidence. The government is fully prepared and vigilant, and citizens should observe good hygiene and promptly report suspected symptoms,” the Minister concluded.