By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Federal Government has reassured Nigerians that there is no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country, while announcing the activation of a Communication Sub-Committee under the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats to strengthen public awareness and emergency response.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja during the inaugural meeting of the Communication Sub-Committee, urging citizens to remain calm, stay vigilant and rely only on verified information from government sources.
“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,” the minister said.
Idris described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to establish the Presidential Task Force as a proactive measure aimed at safeguarding public health through improved preparedness, coordination and timely intervention.
He stressed that effective communication would be central to managing any public health emergency, warning that misinformation and rumours could undermine public confidence and weaken response efforts.
According to the minister, Nigeria’s successful containment of the Ebola outbreak in 2014 was driven by strong leadership, coordinated action, effective disease surveillance and sustained public enlightenment.
He disclosed that the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has commenced nationwide sensitization campaigns using approved health messages developed in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
“Our message to Nigerians remains clear: there is no confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria, there is no cause for panic, and the government is fully prepared and vigilant,” Idris said.
He also urged Nigerians to maintain good hygiene practices, promptly report suspected symptoms to health authorities and obtain information only from verified official channels.
The inaugural meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Task Force, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye; representatives of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCDC; Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu; President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Alhassan Yahya; President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku; Vice President (North) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Hamza Idris, and other stakeholders.
