- As five new suspected cases of COVID-19 reported
FINALLY, Federal Government of Nigeria, has issued a travel ban on 13 countries over the spread of the Coronavirus.
This is just as government has suspended the Visa on Arrival policy for the time being, announcing that the ban will take effect from Saturday, March 21, 2020.
This is following cries from Nigerians all over who feel government is being too lax and reactive to the pandemic that has crippled many nations keeping them on standstill socially and economically.
Government seems to have made this move due to the announcement of five new cases of the COVID-19 Virus all of which have a travel history linking to the United Kingdom and United States of America.
The countries are China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland.
In a statement by the Chairman Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVLD-19 on measures being taken by Nigeria to contain and manage the pandemic, SGF Boss Mustapha announced at the end of the last meeting the ban on all forms of travels by public officers and civil servants until further notice
He however noted that it became necessary to brief Nigerians on further measures being taken after an assessment of the global situation. They are as follows:
He said,†The Federal Government of Nigeria is restricting entry into the country for travellers from the following thirteen (13) countries; China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland. These are all countries with over 1,000 cases domestically;
Mustapha said, “All persons arriving in Nigeria who might have visited these countries, often days prior to such arrival, will be subjected to supervised self-isolation and testing for 14 days; the Federal Government is temporarily suspending the issuance of all visas on arrival; Federal Government is also counseling all Nigerians to cancel or postpone all non-essential travels to these countries; and the Federal Government urges Public Health Authorities of countries with high burden to conduct diligent departure screening of passengers and also endorses this travel advisories to their nationals to postpone travels to Nigeria.
He stated,†These restrictions will come into effect from Saturday, 21st March, 2020 for four (4) weeks subject to review.â€
