FG to ban flights to UK, Canada, others

The Federal Government is set to ban flights from the United Kingdom, Canada, Argentina and Saudi Arabia from coming into the country in a retaliatory move against the countries decisions to include Nigeria in the Omicron red list countries.

The decision by the Nigerian government was contained in a leaked audio where the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, revealed that the ban on the nations would be announced on Monday or Tuesday by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19.

In the leaked video obtained by various media houses, the Minister is quoted stressing that the decision to ban flights from the affected countries was a retaliatory move and would be made public by the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC).

“Also, there is a case of Saudi Arabia, which put Nigeria on the banned list – no visa, no travel, et cetera. So, also Canada. So, today, there was a meeting, I participated in a zoom meeting, COVID-19 task force, just for your information also.

“We have given our input in aviation, it is not acceptable by us and we recommend that those countries – Canada, the UK, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina be also put on Red List, as they did similarly to us.

Also Read: Senate condemns UK travel ban on Nigerians over Omicron

“If they don’t allow our citizens to go into their countries, who are their airlines coming to pick from our country?

“So, I am very sure that in the next few days, between now and Monday, or perhaps Tuesday, at maximum, all those countries will be put on the Red List from the PSC (Presidential Steering Committee) from the task force of COVID-19. Once they are put on the red list, which means they are banned, of course, their airlines will be banned.

“I’m so sorry, we are going through a difficult moment, but we have to do it in the interest of our country,” Sirika explained in the audio.

The UK was the first country to impose travel restrictions on Nigeria, claiming that 21 cases of Omicron recorded in England were linked to travelers from Nigeria.

However, the decision of the UK was met outrage with some national and international stakeholders describing it as racist and discriminatory.

The Federal Government had also condemned the decision of the UK, with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, describing it as discriminatory, unfair, punitive, indefensible, and unjust.