The Federal Government has directed security agencies, health institutions and other relevant authorities to strictly enforce Ebola screening protocols at Nigeria’s entry points following concerns raised by the Office of the National Security Adviser over reported breaches of approved preventive measures.

The directive comes as Nigeria responds to a confirmed imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, a form of Ebola, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, amid reports of gaps in public awareness, infection prevention facilities and emergency preparedness across several states.

In a circular dated October 22, 2026, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare directed relevant ministries, departments, agencies and health institutions to comply with approved screening procedures, health declaration requirements and surveillance measures.

The circular, signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollum, on behalf of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, called for consistent and non-discriminatory enforcement of the protocols to reduce the risk of cross-border transmission.

The ministry also ordered improved coordination and information-sharing among agencies responsible for monitoring and responding to potential public health threats.

Institutions were directed to document and report actual or attempted breaches through established channels, support enforcement officials and establish monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance. The circular also warned against interference with personnel carrying out their duties.

However, the directive did not identify the specific entry points where the reported breaches occurred, the number of violations recorded or the nature of the alleged non-compliance.

The renewed measures follow Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported Ebola case on October 20, after laboratory tests detected the Bundibugyo virus in a woman who had travelled to the country from Uganda.

According to the World Health Organisation, the patient developed symptoms on October 7, sought medical attention at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11 and tested positive for the virus on October 20.

The patient was placed in isolation and was receiving medical care, while public health authorities began tracing people who might have been exposed.

As of October 20, 44 contacts had been identified for monitoring, according to the WHO. Investigations were continuing to establish the woman’s full travel history and the likely source of her infection.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control also reported that the source of the Nigerian patient’s infection remained under investigation. Reports about her possible travel through the Democratic Republic of the Congo had not yet been fully verified by health authorities.

The government’s latest directive coincides with findings reported during visits to health facilities, markets and transport hubs in several states, which indicated varying levels of preparedness and public awareness.

In Lagos, the newspaper reported that an isolation facility in Yaba, previously used to manage COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, appeared to have been converted for use by nursing students. A reporter was denied access to the premises and was told by a security guard that the facility was being used by Lagos State University nursing students.

The report did not establish whether the state had relocated its isolation services elsewhere or retained emergency treatment capacity at another facility. The observation therefore raises questions about the availability of that particular site but does not, on its own, establish the overall state of Lagos’s Ebola response capacity.

The newspaper also reported gaps in access to handwashing facilities at some markets and motor parks, while some state authorities said they were still working to procure personal protective equipment for frontline health workers.

In Nasarawa State, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Ibrahim Alhassan, said the government was planning to procure protective equipment and distribute it across the state’s 13 local government areas.

He said the state was strengthening preparedness partly because of its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory.

Other states reported measures aimed at improving surveillance and infection prevention.

In Plateau State, officials said surveillance teams were operating across the state’s 17 local government areas, while the government had activated its Public Health Emergency Operations Centre. The newspaper observed handwashing stations, sanitiser dispensers and temperature-check arrangements at some hospital entrances, although facilities in markets and transport locations varied.

The Kano State Government directed public, private, faith-based and military health facilities to strengthen infection prevention and control measures, including hand hygiene, appropriate use of protective equipment, environmental sanitation and safe medical waste management.

Yobe State officials also reported strengthening surveillance, contact tracing and isolation arrangements across the state’s 17 local government areas.

In Benue State, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, said the government was mobilising disease surveillance officers across the state’s 23 local government areas and had directed that suspected cases be reported promptly through established public health channels.

Kwara State authorities said they had reviewed their Ebola preparedness plans and strengthened technical teams responsible for surveillance, risk communication, laboratory services, logistics and case management. The state reported no suspected case at the time of the newspaper’s investigation.

In Gombe State, airport authorities reportedly introduced temperature checks for travellers, while the state’s health authorities said they were receiving updates on people of interest and preparing to monitor anyone identified as a potential contact.

Kaduna State officials also said they were planning public awareness campaigns at motor parks, railway stations and other major entry points.

Despite these assurances, the newspaper found that awareness among some residents remained limited. Interviews with traders, commercial drivers, commuters and parents in Lagos, Ogun, Osun and other states revealed confusion about the disease, how it spreads and the precautions people should take.

Some residents said they had not received enough information through radio, television or community campaigns. Others expressed concern about possible exposure in crowded buses and markets, while a few questioned reports of the confirmed case.

Public health experts and authorities have repeatedly stressed the importance of communicating accurate information and encouraging people to report suspected cases rather than rely on rumours.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person who is symptomatic, or through contact with contaminated materials. It is not ordinarily transmitted through simply sharing the same space with an infected person.

Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting and diarrhoea. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days. People who have been identified as contacts should follow instructions from public health authorities and complete the recommended monitoring period.

Nigeria experienced an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller introduced the virus into Lagos. The outbreak resulted in 20 confirmed cases and eight deaths before it was contained through surveillance, contact tracing, isolation and other public health interventions.

The current case involves the Bundibugyo virus, a different Ebola virus species from the one responsible for Nigeria’s 2014 outbreak. The WHO has urged countries to maintain surveillance, strengthen monitoring at points of entry and coordinate their response to the wider regional outbreak.

The latest federal directive places renewed emphasis on enforcing existing protocols and identifying failures before they undermine efforts to contain the disease.

For now, the confirmed Nigerian case remains an imported case, and the 44 identified contacts were being monitored as of October 20. The effectiveness of the response will depend on timely detection, thorough contact tracing, adequate protection for health workers, reliable public information and consistent implementation of preventive measures across the country.