A woman identified in media reports as Nigeria’s Ebola index patient has reportedly been evacuated from the country aboard a medical evacuation aircraft, although the Federal Government has yet to officially confirm the development.
According to ARISE News, which cited unnamed sources, the evacuation took place early Monday morning at the private jet wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The report stated that the woman, described as the wife of a Swiss diplomat in Nigeria, was expected to depart at about 6 a.m. aboard a medical evacuation aircraft already positioned at the airport.
ARISE News reported that its crew, stationed at the airport’s General Aviation Terminal, observed a convoy of ambulances arriving from Abuja’s city centre, accompanied by diplomatic vehicles.
The three-vehicle convoy reportedly included a vehicle belonging to an international agency as it proceeded into the airport’s private aviation section.
According to the report, airport officials restricted access to the private wing during the operation.
The news outlet also said it obtained video footage showing a medical evacuation aircraft and its crew preparing for the operation. The circumstances surrounding the evacuation reportedly raised suspicions that the passenger could be the person identified as Nigeria’s Ebola index case.
A source cited in the report claimed that the Federal Government intended to announce the evacuation after the aircraft had taken off and left Nigerian airspace.
However, key details surrounding the reported operation remain unclear, including the woman’s confirmed identity, the destination of the aircraft and her current medical condition.
As of the time of filing this report, no official statement from the Federal Government or relevant health authorities had been provided to confirm the evacuation.
The reported development comes amid concerns over Ebola following reports of a suspected or confirmed case in Nigeria. Authorities’ confirmation of the patient’s status and details of any medical transfer remain essential to establishing the full circumstances of the incident.
