Nigeria plans to ban reciprocal flights to 4 countries via Omicron

FILE PHOTO: People wearing face masks walk inside Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, on the day of reopening to domestic flight operations, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Abuja, Nigeria day July 8, 2020. REUTERS / Afolab Sotunde

December 12, 2021

By Felix Onuah

ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria plans to ban flights from Argentina, Britain, Canada and Saudi Arabia from this week in retaliation for those countries’ redlisting for detecting the coronavirus variant Omicron in the country. Last month, the Minister of Aviation said.

Several countries have restricted the movement of people from certain African countries since the Omicron variant was first detected in southern Africa and Hong Kong. Since then, it has spread to at least 57 countries.

In recorded comments shared with journalists on Sunday, Nigerian Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said he had recommended that these four countries be put on the COVID-19 “red list”, which will result in a ban on flights.

“We have given our input as the airline industry that it is not acceptable to us and we recommend that those countries, Canada, UK, Saudi Arabia and Argentina also be included,” Sirika said. put them on the red list, just like they did to us,” said Sirika.

“So I’m very sure between now and Monday or perhaps Tuesday at most, all of those countries will be on the red list. Once they are on the red list, meaning they are banned, their airlines will be banned as well.”

Britain was the first country to publish a tourism “red list”, which Nigeria has described as unjust and unfair.

The World Health Organization says countries should adopt a “risk-based and evidence-based approach” when deciding on Omicron-related travel measures, including testing or isolation. possible for international passengers, adding that boss bans have not stopped its spread.

(Written by MacDonald Dzirutwe, Edited by Barbara Lewis)