The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has appealed to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to intensify efforts in its drive to prevent the influx of people with Ebola virus into the country.

Prof. Ambali made the appeal last Monday (August 4, 2014) when the Comptroller of Immigration, Kwara State Command, Mr. Peter Aburime, paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

The Vice-Chancellor described the disease as "very deadly and terrific", saying that it has become a point of duty for the Immigration Service to put its eyes and ears on ground to avert the spread of the virus into Nigeria.

Stressing that the country needs the Immigration Service now more than ever before because of the outbreak of the Ebola virus, Prof. Ambali urged the government to act fast on the preventive measure in the interest of the citizens.

The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that the University Senate has approved the sensitisation of the university community on how to prevent the disease. He therefore tasked the Immigration Service to keep the University abreast of government directives on the Ebola outbreak.

Prof. Ambali disclosed that the University of Ilorin has 229 international students from 17 countries across the world.

Earlier in his address, the Comptroller, Mr. Aburime, assured the Vice-Chancellor that the Immigration Service is placing close surveillance on the nation's borders in order to curtail the spread of the Ebola virus in the country.

Mr. Aburime disclosed that over 1000 corps have been trained and are being deployed to man the nation's borders, noting that illiteracy, which he described as a major problem at the borders, has slowed down the ECOWAS regional integration plan.

The Comptroller thanked the Vice-Chancellor for making the University a leading education institution in the country and for the existing cordial relationship between the University and the Immigration Service.

Mr. Aburime also thanked the University for its support to the Service during the last Immigration recruitment exercise, while promising to support the internationalisation drive of the University.