There was big fear yesterday at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos after a Nigerian, who survived Ebola Virus Disease in Sierra Leone arrived aboard Royal Air Maroc. The man, whose identity was given as Mr. Theophilus Onnakhinon, was flown from Sierra Leone by the airline while his younger brother, Mr. Chinedu Eroka was said to have absconded from the Sierra Leonean authorities.
Sources told newsmen that Onnakhinon had already been cured of the dreaded disease and had been certified fit by the health authorities of that country few weeks back.
The source who would not want his name in print claimed that Onnakhinon was assisted into the country by the Nigeria’s consular officer, Mrs. T. Mohammed in order to avoid stigmatization by the Nigerian health officials and other authorities at the airport.
Upon arrival in Nigeria, the victim was immediately handed over to the Port Health officials at the Lagos airport who immediately isolated and quarantined him.
Their reason was for the Nigerian officials to also check his health status and confirm that he was free of the disease before being released to the public.
The source said, “It is true that there was Ebola scare at the Lagos airport today, (yesterday) but the fact is that the victim had been cured of the disease in Sierra Leone before being assisted into Nigeria by our consular officer in that country and immediately he landed, he was handed over to the port health authorities who immediately carried out checks on him and isolated him from the other passengers.
“But, the truth is that we just want to recheck what has already been done by the Sierra Leonean authorities. You know, we cannot take chances again in the country. I can assure you that the situation is under control.”
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