THE dastardly “importation” of the dreaded Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) into Nigeria by the late Patrick Sawyer almost a month ago, has brought out the best in the government and people of Nigeria, surprisingly.
As soon as Sawyer was identified as a possible carrier of the plague, the authorities took proactive steps to establish quarantine facilities. They ensured that all those who had made primary and secondary contact with the Liberian were identified and handled professionally. It has helped to limit the scope of the infection within the populace, though latest reports have it that the number of people infected has skyrocketed to 198 as at press time. However, the fact that 177 of these cases were found in Lagos and 21 in Enugu, with all known cases within government quarantine facilities or under strict watch means the situation is still under control. This has got Nigeria commended by the World Health Organisation, WHO. It is heartwarming that Nigerians met this health emergency eschewing politics, ethnicity and religion, the usual factors that are exploited to cause disharmony among us. Nobody has brought in the issue of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) or All People’s Congress (APC) into the matter. The Lagos State Government has worked harmoniously with the federal. It also took the foresighted step of visiting Prophet TB Joshua of the Synagogue of All Nations Church and successfully reached an accord that nobody carrying the disease should be brought there, either from Nigeria or any part of the world. The media has played...
its professional role, devoting a large part of its activities to enlighten the people about the plague and how to take measures to avoid it becoming a pandemic. The federal government has also done exceptionally well with President Goodluck Jonathan taking the lead in ensuring that the disease is controlled. However, the situation has not escaped the attention of mischief makers, who have exploited the open social media forums to spread dangerous and false claims, causing widespread panic, particularly in portraying the bathing and topical intake of salt water as a “cure” for Ebola. This has also led to a number of fatalities by those who allowed themselves to be hoodwinked. While we commend all Nigerians for standing up together to ward off the Ebola threat, we urge everyone to fully cooperate with the authorities and voluntarily submit themselves and loved ones for medical attention whenever Ebola infection is suspected. The law enforcement agents should also trace and set examples with the mischief makers. If we tackle our national problems with the same unity of purpose we have applied to the Ebola scourge, our nation will be the better for it.
Cameroon closes borders, suspends flights from Nigeria
Following
the fears of spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) through
international air and seaports, including border land outposts of
Nigerian Immigration Serives (NIS) in the Northeast sub-region of
country, Cameroon has closed its borders with Nigeria and suspended all
flights to and from Nigeria.
Cameroon, according to the NIS, has a border boundary of over 2, 000 kilometres in Borno, Adamawa, Taraba and Cross Rivers states in the South-South sub-region of Nigeria.
Speaking yesterday on a special programme of the Hausa Service of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) monitored in Maiduguri, the spokesman of Cameroon Foreign Affairs, Chiroumma Boukkari said the decision to close the borders with Nigeria has become inevitable, because of the fears of the ebola that spreads like wild fire in the West African sub-region.
“This decision on border closure and suspension of all flights to and from Nigeria was to protect the lives of Cameroonian citizens living within and outside from contracting ebola, as Nigeria, our main trading partner in Africa had been facing since July 20, 2014 when Patrick Sawyer sneaked into the country aboard a flight with the deadly virus.”
He however, noted that the border closure and temporary suspension of flights to and from Nigeria will be for a minimum of one month. He also advised Cameroonian citizens to take the closure of borders and flight suspension seriously in protecting their lives and property.
“The border closures with our main trading partner will be lifted, as soon as Nigeria contains the spread of the deadly viral disease. We also urge all border security agencies of the two countries to be vigilant by complying with this border closures made yesterday (Saturday) by the foreign office here in Ngaudore,” said Boukkari.
The affected border outposts in Borno state include, Kirawa, Duji, Mallam Fatori, Gamboru, Banki, Damba/Masara, Baga, Danbaure, Sigal and Jilbe, 145 kilometres northeast of Maiduguri, the state capital.
Cameroon, according to the NIS, has a border boundary of over 2, 000 kilometres in Borno, Adamawa, Taraba and Cross Rivers states in the South-South sub-region of Nigeria.
Speaking yesterday on a special programme of the Hausa Service of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) monitored in Maiduguri, the spokesman of Cameroon Foreign Affairs, Chiroumma Boukkari said the decision to close the borders with Nigeria has become inevitable, because of the fears of the ebola that spreads like wild fire in the West African sub-region.
“This decision on border closure and suspension of all flights to and from Nigeria was to protect the lives of Cameroonian citizens living within and outside from contracting ebola, as Nigeria, our main trading partner in Africa had been facing since July 20, 2014 when Patrick Sawyer sneaked into the country aboard a flight with the deadly virus.”
He however, noted that the border closure and temporary suspension of flights to and from Nigeria will be for a minimum of one month. He also advised Cameroonian citizens to take the closure of borders and flight suspension seriously in protecting their lives and property.
“The border closures with our main trading partner will be lifted, as soon as Nigeria contains the spread of the deadly viral disease. We also urge all border security agencies of the two countries to be vigilant by complying with this border closures made yesterday (Saturday) by the foreign office here in Ngaudore,” said Boukkari.
The affected border outposts in Borno state include, Kirawa, Duji, Mallam Fatori, Gamboru, Banki, Damba/Masara, Baga, Danbaure, Sigal and Jilbe, 145 kilometres northeast of Maiduguri, the state capital.
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