NewStats: 3,262,881 , 8,178,450 topics. Date: Tuesday, 03 June 2025 at 10:10 PM 5f4c4k

Nigerians who who returned to Abuja more than a week ago after months of volunteer service in the fight against Ebola in Liberia and Sierra Leone were Wednesday morning locked up in Summit Villa hotel, life camp, Abuja over unpaid hotel bills.

The volunteers returned to the country May 23rd, having represented the country at the AU’s mission in Liberia and Sierra Leon to help eradicate the Ebola scourge there.

Unfortunately, since their return, the volunteers allege being humiliated at the AU mission and now in Nigeria.

The Federal Ministry Of Health through Sanni Gwarzo, head of the returnees committee, had lodged the contingents in various hotels including Summit Villa hotel. Unfortunately, the hotel bills have not been paid and the volunteers have complained even about feeding.

The volunteers were supposed to be quarantined for 21 days upon their return to the country. However, those from Liberia were ejected from their hotel rooms on Friday May 29 while those from Sierra Leon were ejected Wednesday, June 3. Their ejection, TIMES findings reveal was on the instructions of Mr. Gwarzo.

But the Dangote Foundation at a press briefing Friday May 29 had announced a donation of N60million meant for accommodation and feeding of the returnees while in quarantine for 21 days.

The Federal Ministry had acknowledged receipt of the money at the event, thanking the foundation for its contributions to the welfare of the Ebola volunteers.

The foundation has in total donated N900 million towards the eradication of the virus in Nigeria. But the contingents allege that they received nothing of the Dangote’s donations since 2014 when its started making donations towards their care over the Ebola virus outbreak.
When the contingents were to leave the hotel 6am, the hotel management locked the gates saying none of them would be allowed out because the Ministry of Health was owing N7.3million. Most of the contingents had early morning flights to catch and were about missing them when TIMES was called in.
One of the hotel staffers who spoke off the record said the FMOH has defaulted in paying its debt so the contingents won’t be allowed out.
Mr. Gwarzo had switched off his phone since the previous day when it dawned on him that there was no money to pay the contingents or the hotel, TIMES understands.
Davidson George, a member of the government committee, who turned up at the hotel, called the Permanent Secretary in the health ministry, Linus Awute, who pleaded with the hotel authorities to let the contingents go.
“Please save me from this scandal…I’m on my knees begging in the name of God…” he begged the hotel management representative crying on phone.
Mr. George had to deposit his identity card with the hotel standing as surety.
Further findings by TIMES revealed that the controversial sum was yet to be paid because Abdulsalami Nasidi, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and prevention (NCDC) wanted to pay the bill in cash, while Mr. Awute kicked against it.
Mr. Awute had demanded an invoice from the hotel as paying cash for such an amount is illegal.

All efforts to get Mr. Nasidi for comments was futile as he neither responded to text message questions nor picked this reporter’s calls.
TIMES had earlier called him Friday May 29th over alleged financial misappropriation allegations. He had switched off the call on our reporter.

Meanwhile, the contingents at Royal tropicana hotel, Utako Abuja are scared of being locked up as well as the government is owing the hotel over N5million.

Volunteers who spoke with our reporter said this was the same humiliation they faced while in Sierra Leon and Liberia as hotel managements and apartment owners locked some of them up over none payment of bills.

Some Nigerians were even arrested and detained in Sierra Leon over none payment of their accommodation bills by the AU, while others’ properties were thrown out.

http://www.timesng.com/news/headlines/184272-scandal-nigerian-volunteers-to-sierra-leone-liberia-locked-up-in-hotel-over-unpaid-bills.html

You people should not worry again cos change is finally here.

Anyway FTC no be bad thing oo. see as i dey jump up for my office as if i won lotto.

WTF

Etumgbe:
You people should not worry again cos change is finally here.
Anyway FTC no be bad thing oo. see as i dey jump up for my office as if i won lotto.

WTF

Who said STC na bad tin too?

Seriously. People that are not receiving any monetary compensation for their time. This is really humiliating.

Na who send una message Nigeria is broke and the Buhari needs the money to feed himself

This is a slap to Humanitarian services. And to think I almost volunteered. Well sha, Parade don change gear to Gear 1.

Please FG don't let their efforts be in vain.

Which ministry is responsible for this? why wont you people act on time? if they want to scrap or merge your ministries now you will start carrying placard, see work now you wont do.

Please the FG should try and clear up the unpaid bills.








I have fresh spamming tools so PM me.

After putting their lives at risk of ing Ebola?

They left their country to assist their fellow Africans

These heroes/heroines deserve better!!

Me think their stewpig populace should be grateful in kind if not in cash for their selfless services!!!!

Na volunteers them call themselves, as them don leave the ebola region, why dem no go house rather than go hotel?

And why they are not going home

Na good work wey them volunteer to do come turn to bad like this o.

So some ppl actually volunteered to "go and die"... Wetin we no go do for money? How many of them went because they love sierra lone? Na wah oh... Smh

How won't they be humiliated when they have nothing in their brains,they think Sierra Leone is another patient killing zone.

I go tell ur oga say u dey use una office internet

Etumgbe:
You people should not worry again cos change is finally here.

Anyway FTC no be bad thing oo. see as i dey jump up for my office as if i won lotto.

This is just so unfair...these are volunteers for God sake, they put their lives on the line just so they can save people and now they are being treated this way. Pls those responsible should do something about the plea.

There's no GEJ to blame, lets see who they will blame now

JOANTHAN LAST SCAM

seriously I hate change

sleemoon:
WTFWTF

Who said STC na bad tin too?

First to like sef na part of it

gboss4sure:
There's no GEJ to blame, lets see who they will blame now

True that...
Blame game seems boring since May 30

....Jonathan and his shameless minister of health...



1 billion naira donation just vanished!...thank God for LASG and people like Adedavoh...this Ebola for wreck Nigeria..


Incompetence everywhere...

Omo N60 million don wear white canvas shoe and ran away. Naija too much when it comes to fraud. But let the man who is in charge know for sure that he is endangering people's life because those volunteers are supposed to be quarantined and if you fail to do your job, the ebola virus will be spread again. Think well oga Gwarzo

Redoil:
Na who send una message Nigeria is broke and the Buhari needs the money to feed himself

Mumu

so im making fp for the second time today


**Singing Ladi by Olamide x Phyno Ft lil kesh**

Emi jacky kimor ladi kimor jedi.

iRanuuu!! Abasha!!

Redoil:
Na who send una message Nigeria is broke and the Buhari needs the money to feed himself

Are you normally daft or you are making an effort to be?