The Nigeria Immigration Service has reassured Nigerians that the country’s borders remain secure despite concerns over the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Speaking on the development, the spokesperson for the NIS, Akinsola Akinlabi, said all official border points across the country are monitored and supported with technology to track movements in difficult areas.
He stated that travellers entering Nigeria through official routes are properly documented and required to present necessary travel papers, including international health certificates.
Akinlabi dismissed claims that Nigeria’s borders are vulnerable, explaining that immigration officers are stationed across border locations while digital surveillance systems help strengthen monitoring efforts.
According to him, the Federal Government has introduced systems such as the Integrated Border Management System and the Migration Information and Data Analysis System to improve border security.
He added that the Immigration Service would continue to work with health authorities, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Ministry of Health, on measures needed to prevent the spread of Ebola into Nigeria.
The reassurance comes after the World Health Organisation declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern following rising infections and deaths linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
Despite the outbreak in the region, the NCDC said Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case connected to the current situation.
Meanwhile, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria said health screening and safety measures have been intensified at international airports, especially for passengers arriving from affected regions.
