The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has reassured Nigerians that the country’s land borders are properly secured and not porous, despite growing concerns over the spread of Ebola in parts of Central and East Africa.

Speaking through its spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, the service explained that all official border points across the country are manned by officers, supported by modern surveillance technologies to monitor areas that are difficult for personnel to physically cover.

Akinlabi stressed that anyone entering Nigeria through legal routes must present valid travel documents, including international health certificates, making it difficult for untracked entry.

He added that the government has invested in systems such as the Integrated Border Management System and the Migration Information and Data Analysis System to strengthen border control and improve monitoring efficiency.

According to him, the combination of personnel and technology is designed to close security gaps caused by Nigeria’s large and complex border network, which stretches over 4,000 kilometres and connects with neighbouring countries like Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

Amid the Ebola outbreak reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, which has already resulted in deaths and suspected cases, the NIS noted that it is working closely with relevant health authorities.

However, the service said it would depend on guidance from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health before implementing specific Ebola-related border measures.

The Immigration Service also referenced Nigeria’s past experience in handling pandemics, stating that health officials were previously deployed at airports during outbreaks to strengthen screening and response.

Meanwhile, health and aviation authorities in Nigeria have already intensified screening measures at international airports to prevent possible importation of the virus.The NIS maintained that it remains alert and ready to support national efforts to keep the country safe from the Ebola virus disease.