The Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, on Monday, said players of the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo would be subjected to thorough screening in their country and in Nigeria ahead of their friendly match with the Super Eagles.
This is because of the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Congo.
Dalung disclosed this in an interview with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the nation’s preparedness for the friendly match and World Cup holding in Russia next month.
Both teams are scheduled to play a friendly match on Monday, at the Adokie Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
Dalung explained that the match would not be put off because of the outbreak but stringent precautionary measure would be taken.
He said, “Nigeria is going to play the friendly with DRC. I have discussed with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation in anticipation.
“We have reviewed the situation and received adequate information about it. So we have agreed on major approaches.
“One, the DRC team is coming through a chartered flight and those coming for the match will be using that chartered flight and they would have been screened from the DRC and they will be screened here in Nigeria.
“No other person is going to be admitted using any other means of transportation for the match. We also discovered that the Ebola outbreak is limited to a particular place and it has not escalated.
“So we wouldn’t want to run the risk of setting a precedent which we will later be a victim. Based on that, we only introduced strict policies to ensure that the match takes place and the match will take place.”
Dalung insisted that the Super Eagles are going to Russia to win the trophy.
He boasted that the team will not end their participation midway.
“We are going to Russia as contestants and not as participants.”
