Ebola: Shehu Sani Warns NCDC Against ₦100,000 Weekly Payment To Isolated Contacts

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has warned the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) that its planned ₦100,000 weekly allowance for people isolated during Ebola monitoring could encourage false claims of exposure to the virus.

Sani raised the concern on Monday in a post on his verified X handle, urging the agency to establish effective verification measures to prevent people from exploiting the proposed financial support.

The NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, had announced on Sunday that 53 contacts linked to Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola case in Abuja would receive ₦100,000 weekly during the 21-day monitoring period.

According to the announcement, the allowance is intended to cover feeding, accommodation and family support for those affected by the monitoring and isolation arrangements.

Reacting to the plan, Sani cautioned that the financial incentive could motivate some people to falsely present themselves as contacts of the confirmed Ebola patient to benefit from the payment.

“The NCDC reportedly said they will give 100k weekly to anyone they keep in isolation over the Ebola virus. They should be careful because some people can come forward and claim they have the virus because of the 100k,” he wrote.

The former lawmaker stressed the need for the NCDC to verify the identities and exposure status of eligible individuals before approving payments.

His warning comes amid heightened public health surveillance following the confirmation of an Ebola case in Abuja, with health authorities monitoring individuals who may have had contact with the patient.

The proposed allowance is aimed at easing the financial burden on people required to remain under monitoring, while ensuring they can meet their basic needs and those of their families during the 21-day period.