Nigerians are demanding that Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, account for the ₦10 billion the administration approved for the Ebola emergency response after repatriating Nigeria’s index Ebola patient to Switzerland in 2026.
Health minister Ali Pate on Monday confirmed that the federal government approved the transfer of the Ugandan-born Swiss patient to Switzerland, along with her husband, a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja.
“I confirm that, with my approval, earlier this morning, the index case for Nigeria’s first imported Ebola virus disease departed Abuja for Switzerland. The index patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious, communicating, and her clinical laboratory test results closing towards baseline.
“This does not mean she is not still infectious, hence the strict protocols in place. The patient was evacuated along with her spouse, who has remained asymptomatic,” Mr Pate said.
Following the departure of the index patient, the World Health Organisation subsequently declared that Nigeria had no confirmed Ebola case, prompting Nigerians on social media to demand accountability on the N10 billion funding approved by Mr Tinubu in June for Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, which is headed by Mr Gbajabiamila.
One of the netizens raised questions about the fund, including X user @climaxx_empire, who claimed the index case was just a scheme to embezzle money, stating, “We know Ebola was never back. It was all a game to loot a whopping N10 billion from public funds. Imagine using a health scare to enrich yourselves. Devilish politicians.”
Another user, @advocate4abet, urged Nigerians not to ignore the N10 billion funding, writing, “I watched the government swiftly approve 10B emergency funding for a so-called Ebola outbreak in Nigeria. I urge every Nigerian not to ignore this money; we must keep demanding the whereabouts of the 10 billion until they show where it was diverted. Not all of us are fools!”
“What of the N10 billion Tinubu claimed to have budgeted for it, and appointed Femi Gbajabiamila to head the Ebola task force emergency committee,” user @IsraelOmole1 (Israel Omole) said as he demanded the return of the money.
Similarly, user @JayJay_Akan (Jay Jay Aura) shared the same sentiment, saying, “Now that Nigeria no longer has Ebola, where is the 10bn Tinubu released to Gbajabiamila? Come and answer our questions, @officialABAT. I need answers NOW @officialABAT.”
Meanwhile, the presidency maintained last week that the N10 billion remained unspent in a statement by All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson Dele Alake and shared on X by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.
“On accountability, the Atiku camp should note that the N10 billion the president approved for the Ebola emergency in June remains untouched, while the NCDC, FAAN, and other surveillance agencies have spent other available resources,” the statement said in response to questions raised by African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar about the money.