By Our Correspondent

In a bid to state the true situation of Ebola spread in the country,Federal Government has declared tthat there is no evidence that the Ebola virus disease has spread into Nigerian communities, assuring citizens that the country’s response remains focused on containing the single confirmed imported case, as the patient shows significant improvement and may recover.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, gave the assurance at a ministerial press briefing on the government’s response to the outbreak, saying health authorities had intensified contact tracing, isolation and surveillance to prevent further transmission.

Pate disclosed that the patient, who developed symptoms a few days after arriving in Nigeria, was responding to treatment, with laboratory results indicating considerable improvement.

“Today, I spoke to the clinicians and I understand that her lab results are showing great improvement and there’s a possibility that she would recover from this,” he said.

The minister, however, cautioned that health authorities would not relax their efforts, stressing the need to sustain treatment and monitoring until the patient fully recovers.

He explained that the case was classified as imported because of the patient’s travel history, adding that she was asymptomatic when she arrived in Nigeria but developed symptoms a few days later.

According to him, contact tracing commenced immediately after the case was confirmed, with health authorities identifying contacts at hospitals, a private clinic attended by the patient and within her household.

Pate said the contacts had been categorised according to their levels of exposure, with high-risk individuals placed in a designated quarantine facility, while others were isolated in line with established public health guidelines.

“Our focus is on the contact tracing and ensuring that we know exactly where those contacts are and it doesn’t go into the communities. And at this moment, there is no evidence to indicate that,” he said.

The minister said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) was coordinating the operational response through the national incident management system, working closely with the Federal Capital Territory Administration and other relevant agencies.

He added that the federal government had briefed the Presidential Task Force, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Economic Council, chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, to ensure coordinated action at all levels of government.

Pate disclosed that all state governments had been informed of the outbreak, with most already having response plans developed with guidance from the NCDC. States yet to complete their plans had been directed to do so urgently.

He said the government had also provided additional resources to the NCDC to support containment activities, while mobilising further domestic resources to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response capacity.

The minister added that the federal government would continue engaging state commissioners of health and information to ensure consistency in public communication and coordination.

On Nigeria’s diagnostic capacity, Pate said health authorities had been able to diagnose and confirm the case, notify the World Health Organisation (WHO) and activate the response within 24 hours of being informed.

He said the government was working to sequence the virus’s genome to obtain further information about the infection, adding that Professor Christian Happi of Redeemer’s University had been invited to support the NCDC’s efforts.

“The capabilities are in country and the investments that have been made to get us here are bearing fruit,” he said.

Pate noted that the WHO, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and other international technical partners were supporting Nigeria’s response, including experts with experience in managing Ebola outbreaks in other countries.

He said traditional and religious leaders had also been engaged to promote public awareness and encourage Nigerians to follow verified health advice.

The minister stressed that Ebola was not an airborne disease, explaining that it spreads through contact with infected body fluids. He urged healthcare workers to observe infection prevention and control measures when attending to patients.

He advised Nigerians to practise regular handwashing, avoid contact with other people’s body fluids and promptly report symptoms such as fever, headaches and muscle aches, particularly where there was a relevant travel history.

Pate said federal hospitals and health facilities in the FCT had been directed to prepare isolation beds and strengthen infection prevention measures, while state governments were being encouraged to ensure similar preparedness in their facilities.

He also urged private healthcare providers to remain vigilant and promptly notify public health authorities of suspected cases, noting that the confirmed patient had visited a private facility.

On planned conferences and other large public gatherings, the minister said the government had not recommended changes to existing arrangements because the case remained contained.

“At this moment, there is no indication that requires us to alter the course of large gatherings that have been planned, but if the situation changes, we’ll make a determination,” he said.

Pate urged political leaders to avoid politicising the outbreak, describing health as a unifying issue that transcended political, religious and ethnic differences.

He also warned against the spread of misinformation, particularly on social media, saying unverified claims could undermine containment efforts by encouraging people under isolation or quarantine to disregard public health instructions.

“The alternative to trusting the expert is a tragedy,” he said, urging journalists and members of the public to rely on verified information from health authorities.

On border surveillance, Pate said the government was strengthening screening at the country’s points of entry in line with WHO guidance and the International Health Regulations.

He disclosed that additional capacity had been requested for port health operations, including ensuring that thermal imaging equipment was functional and that travellers were assessed according to the risk categorisation of affected countries.

The minister said the government would continue to monitor the situation and provide regular updates as investigations progressed, with the NCDC maintaining daily response meetings.

He called on Nigerians to cooperate with health authorities, particularly by complying with contact-tracing, isolation and quarantine instructions, to prevent further transmission of the virus.

END

By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the reported killing of passengers by armed bandits along the road to Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, describing the attack as a cruel assault on the sanctity of human life and the safety of innocent citizens.

HURIWA demands effective and efficient coordination among security agencies, backed by proactive, intelligence-led operations, to prevent further bloodshed and protect Nigerians travelling on the nation’s highways.

Reports indicate that the armed assailants intercepted a vehicle conveying passengers returning from Sokoto city on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and opened fire on those inside. The exact number of casualties had yet to be officially confirmed as of Thursday.

Conflict reporter Bakatsine, who covers security developments in northwestern Nigeria, reported the incident and shared photographs of some of the victims.

Some of those reportedly killed were said to be among the 3,000 people recruited by the Sokoto State Government who had travelled to the state capital for further screening and collection of their documents.

HURIWA describes the reported attack as a disturbing reminder of the grave security risks confronting citizens on roads in parts of northwestern Nigeria.

The association insists that security operations must move beyond reactive responses after attacks have occurred. Intelligence gathering, information sharing, strategic deployment and timely intervention must form the foundation of efforts to dismantle armed criminal networks and protect vulnerable communities.

HURIWA calls on the relevant security agencies to urgently investigate the incident, establish the identities and number of victims, track down the perpetrators and ensure that all those responsible are arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The association warns that the killers must not be allowed to escape justice. Every failure to identify and bring perpetrators of such atrocities to account risks deepening public anxiety and weakening citizens’ confidence in the ability of the state to protect their lives.

HURIWA also urges the Sokoto State Government and relevant federal authorities to cooperate fully with security agencies, provide necessary operational support and ensure that affected families receive timely information and appropriate assistance.

While acknowledging the challenges confronting security agencies, HURIWA maintains that the protection of lives and property remains a fundamental responsibility of government that must be pursued with urgency, professionalism and measurable results.

The association calls for stronger highway surveillance, improved intelligence networks and closer coordination among the police, military and other relevant security agencies to prevent armed groups from turning public roads into killing grounds.

HURIWA extends its condolences to the families of the victims and calls on authorities to provide transparent updates on the incident as investigations proceed.

By Our Correspondent

The Senate has through its committee on Public Accounts , rejected records of volume of Petroleum importation presented to it by Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority ( NMDPRA) for 2022 and 2023 on account of wide disparities between them and those presented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPCL).

It consequently resolved to summon heads of NMDPRA , NNPCL and Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative ( NEITI) for possible reconciliation of the records or final exposure of suspected fraud to have been carried out.

Wide disparities in records of NMDPRA and NNPCL on volume of PMS imported by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2022 and 2023 , came to the fore when management of NMDPRA responded to queries leveled against it in the NEITI Audit report of 2021 to 2023 .

Authority Chief Executive of NMDPRA ( ACE) , Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi Umar , represented by a Deputy Director , Uzoamaka Ugwu – Ojobe , had in responding to NEITI query, told the committee that NMDPRA records on volume of Petroleum importation were credible despite disparities with those of the NNPCL .

” We stand by 3.29billion litres of PMS as volume imported in 2022 and 6.02billion litres as volume imported in 2023 against 6.27 billion litres recorded by NNPCL in 2022 and 3.88billion litres in 2023.

” The slight disparities are being looked into for possible reconciliation “, she said .

Irked by her submission , a member of tbe committee, Senator Abdul Ningi ( Bauchi Central ) , said disparities of over 50% are not slight but wide and very disturbing and suspicious .

” The disparities in records of PMS importation between NMDPRA and NNPCL in 2022 and 2023 as stated in the NEITI Oil and Gas Industry Audit report of 2021 to 2023 , are too wide to be described as slight or being looked into without the seriousness required”, he said .

Also miffed by the huge disparities in the records , Senator Dayo Faduyile ( Ondo South ) , said the disparities leave a lot of room for someone to think that something is amis .

Outrightly rejecting the NMDPRA’ s defence , Senator Anietan Bassey ( Akwa Ibom North East ) , said thorough investigation of the wide disparity must be carried out by the committee as according to him, Nigerians must not be allowed to be shortchanged on yearly basis as glaringly shown with the NMDPRA and NNPCL records of PMS importation .

“Mr Chairman and very distinguished colleagues , these questionable records of volume of PMS importation by the two agencies , must be thoroughly investigated to safe Nigerians from being yearly shortchanged and expose those milking the country dry .”, he said .

Consequently , the committee chaired by Senator Hassan Dankwabo ( Gombe North ) , rejected the NMDPRA defence and resolved to call for tripartite meeting of the agencies involved soonest .

“In view of the unacceptability of presentations made by representative of NMDPRA on queries raised against it in the NEITI Oil and Gas Audit report covering 2021 to 2023, specifically on volume of PMS imported within the years under review , this committee resolved to summon heads of NMDPRA , NNPCL and NEITI for reasons behind the wide disparities “, he said .