Ebola: US Secret Service Didn’t Screen Jonathan – Adefuye

BY ABU IDRISU

The Nigerian embassy in Washington, DC, on Monday expressed its displeasure over a media report which had said that President Goodluck Jonathan was among the African leaders that were screened by the US secret service for Ebola fever.

Reacting to the report, the Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States, Prof. Adebowale Adefuye, said that the report was fake, adding that it was also the figment of the writer’s imagination.

Adefuye, who reacted in a statement sent to our correspondent, said he wondered where the writer got “his fake” information that the president would or had been screened for Ebola virus by the US secret service.

The Nigerian envoy pressed further that President Jonathan arrived with his delegation since Sunday and neither he (Jonathan) nor any member of his entourage was screened for the virus or any reason.

Reacting to the development, US president Mr Barrack Obama made it known that some international guests were screened for Ebola fever to ensure maximum safety for everyone attending the three-day summit. The US leader, however, didn’t mention President Jonathan or anyone from his entourage as part of those that were screened.

Obama specifically mentioned Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone as the West African countries where Ebola is ravaging populations, adding that screening would be done for guests from these countries that have even a marginal risk, or an infinitesimal risk of having been exposed in some fashion.

Meanwhile, the US government has worked with international partners to ensure that no one who may be ill or exposed to the virus will attend the summit, and, in addition to screening at ports of entry, health officials will be available to provide medical care to all attendees