Boko Haram blamed for Nigeria's polio resurgence

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria

Nigeria has recorded at least two new cases of polio, dashing the country's hopes of being certificated free of the crippling disease.

Health Minister Isaac Adewole on Thursday linked the return of the disease to the Boko Haram insurgency plaguing northern areas of the country.

"One of the cases is from Gwoza, which is actually close to the [Cameroonian] border. The other one is Jere. We suspect that both of them are linked to the insurgents," the minister told reporters in Abuja, hours after health officials had leaked the information to the media.

Both Gwoza and Jere are in northeastern Borno state, the heartbeat of the Boko Haram insurgency that has raged since 2009. The areas had been under militant control until the army recently liberated them.

The minister said everything would be done to tackle the cases as well as ensuring polio does not resurface on a large scale.

Thursday's news comes just a year after the World Health Organization gave July 2017 as the date to certify Nigeria being polio free, provided no new cases are reported within the period.

"It is unfortunate that we have the development. It has set us back. But I can assure the nation that we will do everything possible to be on top of the situation," said Adewole.

The authorities have confirmed that an emergency plan would be rolled out over the next 48 hours. Three rounds of special immunization are expected.

Adewole denied the new cases were a result of poor funding for vaccination programs, as has been insinuated by Nigeria’s opposition.