FG threatens to descend on travellers who fail to take mandatory COVID-19 test
- The Nigerian government has threatened to sanction passengers that violate travel protocols
- Sani Aliyu, the PTF national coordinator, made this known on Monday, September 14, at a briefing
- Aliyu said that Nigerians would have their passport suspended while visa will be canceled for foreigners
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Following the resumption of international flights, the federal government has threatened to deal with travellers that fail to conduct the mandatory COVID-19 PCR test.
Implications for not following the travel protocols include six-month passport suspension for Nigerians and visa cancellation for foreigners.
The Nation reports that the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 national coordinator, Sani Aliyu, made this known on Monday, September 14, at a briefing.
Aliyu, speaking further on the travel protocols said it is compulsory for travellers to have a test done on the 7th day.
The PTF national coordinator noted that actions will be taken against travellers that do not take mandatory PCR test between the 7th and 14th days on arrival.
Source: UGC
He said: “Just to make it clear, it is mandatory that you have the PCR test done on day 7th.
‘’When you arrive in the county (Nigeria) and for whatever reason you do not have a card that works on the system, and you are unable to pay at the airports, you will still have to make arrangement to pay before day 7th of your test.
“If you do not have a test by day 14th regardless whether you have paid or not, we have a system for identifying cases with Nigerian passports and restrictions will be placed on those passports for six months period.
“For those that are non-Nigerians that have not had the PCR test done between the 7th and 14th days and on their way out of the country, we will revoke their visas."
He went on to note that only PCR test will be acceptable for travellers boarding, which must be carried out at most 96 hours to before getting on a plane.
Recall that the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on coronavirus threatened to slam $3,500 fine on airlines found carrying passengers in breach of international protocols.
The PTF national coordinator spoke on Monday, August 24, at a news conference in Abuja. Aliyu said the PTF had come to the conclusion that it would now be safe to shorten the isolation period for incoming passengers.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government issued a schedule for the partial resumption of international flights, after months of suspension due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.
A tweet by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Saturday, September 5, showed that the flight schedule was signed by its director-general, Captain Musa Nuhu.
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In another report, the federal government announced the reopening of all domestic airports for travel after months of suspension of flights because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, announced on Monday, September 14, that the remaining domestic airports have been reopened for flight operations.
Sirika who made the disclosure at the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing also said that all charter flights still require approval.
Domestic flight operations began across the country on Wednesday, July 8, with the Lagos and Abuja airports while Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri and Maiduguri airports reopened on Saturday, July 11.
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Source: Legit.ng
