Super Eagles pray before a match: fans to face Ebola screening

Fans attending Nigeria’s first Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo on Saturday in Calabar will have to undergo Ebola screening, the sports commissioner in the southeastern state of Cross River said on Thursday.

“We are aware of the deadly effect of Ebola and because of this we have mapped out strategies to ensure that all spectators who come to watch the Eagles are tested for the virus before they are allowed into the stadium,” Patrick Ugbe said.

Nigeria, the defending African champions, play Congo at the UJ Esuene Stadium in the Cross River state capital Calabar on Saturday.

The venue has a 15,000 capacity and previously hosted qualifying matches for this year’s World Cup.

Seven people have died in Nigeria from Ebola — five in the financial capital, Lagos, and two in the oil hub of Port Harcourt, which is 150 kilometres (90 miles) west of Calabar.

There have been 18 confirmed cases in the country in total.

Nearly 2,000 people have died from the haemmorhagic fever in five West African countries this year, with Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia the worst affected.

The Confederation of African Football governing body has moved Nations Cup qualifying matches from those countries to neutral venues.