The Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri has directed parishes, chaplaincies, Catholic institutions and church organisations across its jurisdiction to implement safety protocols following what it described as the recent confirmation of an Ebola case in Abuja by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). In an internal memo dated October 23, 2026, Archbishop Lucius Iwejurụ Ugorji called for heightened vigilance and proactive measures to safeguard public health. INNONEWS obtained a copy of the memo.
“Following the recent confirmation of a case of Ebola in Abuja by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and its advice for heightened vigilance and proactive measures to safeguard public health, I hereby urge all parishes, chaplaincies and Catholic institutions in the Archdiocese of Owerri to implement the following Safety Protocols,” the archbishop stated. The directive requires temperature screening at church entrances using infrared thermometers, with readings of 37.5 degrees Celsius and above flagged for possible concern. It also mandates educating parishioners, church organisations, students and pupils about Ebola symptoms, including sudden fever, severe weakness, muscle pains, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding, while urging anyone experiencing such symptoms to contact health authorities.
According to the memo, the prescribed measures also include maintaining a distance of one to two metres between people at gatherings and avoiding handshakes, hugs and contact with bodily fluids. It also does yes Churches and Catholic institutions to provide handwashing stations equipped with clean water and liquid soap or make alcohol-based hand sanitisers available at the entrances and exits of church facilities. The archdiocese further directed all affected institutions to comply with infection-control guidelines issued by the NCDC.
Archbishop Ugorji urged the faithful to comply with the protocols, expressing confidence in the spiritual protection of the Catholic community. “While encouraging compliance with these Protocols, I entrust all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Owerri to the maternal care and protection of Our Lady of Good Health,” he stated.
