The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 is expected to announce the Federal Government’s placement of the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, and Saudi Arabia, among others, on a red list preventing both airlines and persons from entering Nigeria.
The measure, which is intended to retaliate for the earlier ban on Nigerians, is the Federal Government’s means of protesting against the blanket ban on Nigerian citizens imposed in response to the spread of the Omicron form of COVID-19.
This comes after what seemed like a week of waiting, political tinkering, and cautious analysis of events.
Last week, the government rejected Nigeria’s inclusion on the red list, describing it as “travel apartheid,” through the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Ishola, but the chairman of the PSC and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said the country would not rush into any decisions because it was still reviewing the sanctions.
The Ministry of Aviation has already suggested to the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 that the United Kingdom, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, and Singapore be prevented from visiting Nigeria for as long as Nigeria stays on their red list.
The statement is expected later today by the Taskforce, according to reports.
