Falana to Health Minister: Take over Ebola task force

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has called on the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, to take over the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats following the confirmation of an imported case of the disease in Nigeria.

Falana, in a statement, recalled that the Presidency announced on June 9, 2026, that President Bola Tinubu had approved the establishment of the task force and ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion as emergency intervention funding.

He, however, questioned why the task force was domiciled in the Presidency and called for the health minister to assume its leadership with immediate effect.

“Curiously, the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease is warehoused in the Presidency. However, in view of the newly confirmed imported case of the dangerous Ebola Virus Disease, the Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, should be allowed to take over the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease forthwith,” Falana said.