Apparently, there are thousands of bats flying around the Presidential villa!
During the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, 6 August, a drama of sorts
played out as the Ebola virus disease was the main topic of discussion.
In the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan, who was away in
Washington DC for the United States-African Leaders Summit, the meeting
was presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo.
At the meeting, Ministers reportedly avoided handshakes with their
colleagues, journalists and other government officials for the fear of
contracting the disease.
To make matters worse, when the health minister, Prof. Onyebuchi
Chukwu, arrived the Council Chambers venue of the meeting, many
ministers stayed clear of him, albeit in a playful manner.
While briefing the State House correspondents on the Ebola situation,
Onyebuchi urged Nigerians to avoid unnecessary handshakes if they could
afford to do so.
After the Minister of Health mentioned ‘bats’ as one of the carriers
of Ebola, he was informed that many of the big trees inside the Villa
are inhabited by bats, who fly around the Villa in their thousands and
regularly excrete on parked cars.
He however assured the Journalists that the appropriate party will do something about the bats as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Information minister, Labaran Maku, who co-briefed the
journalists with Chukwu, said he would only be raising his hands when
greeting people.