Ebola Virus: Cameroon Fears Spread From Nigeria
Cameroon has closed its borders with Nigeria and suspended
all flights to and from Nigeria over fear of possible spread of Ebola
Virus.
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, August 17 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.
According to the Minister: “The government has taken the decision to protect its population because it is much better to prevent than cure the Ebola virus”.
“The 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.
It would be recalled that the first case of Ebola in Nigeria was an American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who shunned medical advice and travelled in Nigeria.
He, however died on July 25 in a Lagos hospital five days after he arrived in the country.
Sadly, few people who came in contact with the late Sawyer, like the matron of the hospital who treated him has diedwhile an Economic Commission of WestAfrican States Protocol Officer, Jatto Abdulqudir, who picked up Sawyer from the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos passed away last Tuesday. The deadly virus took life of another nurse, Obi Justina Ejelon, on August 14, 2014.
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, August 17 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.
According to the Minister: “The government has taken the decision to protect its population because it is much better to prevent than cure the Ebola virus”.
“The 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.
It would be recalled that the first case of Ebola in Nigeria was an American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who shunned medical advice and travelled in Nigeria.
He, however died on July 25 in a Lagos hospital five days after he arrived in the country.
Sadly, few people who came in contact with the late Sawyer, like the matron of the hospital who treated him has diedwhile an Economic Commission of WestAfrican States Protocol Officer, Jatto Abdulqudir, who picked up Sawyer from the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos passed away last Tuesday. The deadly virus took life of another nurse, Obi Justina Ejelon, on August 14, 2014.
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