INT’L FLIGHT: Nigerian govt to ban travellers for non-compliance with COVID-19 guidelines

The Federal Government said on Monday passengers who failed to comply with the COVID-19 protocols at the nation’s airports would be suspended from travelling for six months.

The federal government had last week directed the resumption of international flight operations in the country from September 5.

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, who disclosed this at the task force daily press briefing in Abuja, added airlines and passengers would be sanctioned for non-compliance with the guidelines.

He said airlines that fail to comply with the COVID-19 protocol for the resumption of international flight would pay a fine of $3,500 per passenger.

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He said: “There will definitely be sanctions if they do not comply. Sanctions to the airlines if they allow passengers without a COVID-19 PCR result to board, they will be sanctioned on arrival in Nigeria. That is the airline. For passengers that decline to do the test, at Day 7, we will still allow them after Day 14 to have a test done after which their details will be forwarded to Port Health, Immigration, and part of the security services.

“It is very likely we will put in place measures to enforce this by suspending travel up to six months or denied foreign travel altogether.

“But beyond the sanctions, because as responsible citizens, we all want our country to continue to be COVID-19-free once we get on top of the pandemic. So, we expect the vast number of travellers to continue to comply with these simple, straightforward measures we are putting in place for the benefit of our country and for the health of our citizens.”

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