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Nigeria has concluded plans to place the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Saudi Arabia and Argentina on a red list over the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
This is part of the decision taken at a meeting of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who is also a member of the PSC in an audio recording that circulated on Saturday, said the directives which would take effect in the coming days will ban flights and citizens of the affected countries from coming into Nigeria.
Recall that the UK had on December 4, added Nigeria to its red list and imposed a travel ban, citing the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
British Health Minister, Sajid Javid, who made the announcement, had said Nigeria was second only to South Africa in terms of Omicron cases linked to travel.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation in Saudi Arabia had on Wednesday confirmed the suspension of flight form Nigeria in a circular to all airlines operating in the Kingdom.
Canada and Argentina had also banned flights and Nigerians from coming into their countries.
But Sirika said Nigeria can no longer fold her hands and overlook the sovereignty of over 200 million of her citizens being taken for granted.
The minister noted that if the countries placed Nigeria on a red list, they lacked a moral right to have their airlines coming into the country for commercial services.
“There is also a case of Saudi Arabia that put Nigeria on the ban list; Canada. Today, there was a meeting in which I participated from the COVID-19 Task Force.
“We have given our input that it is not acceptable by us and we recommend that those countries – Canada, UK, Saudi Arabia and Argentina – be also put on the red list.
“So, like they did to us, if they don’t allow our citizens into their country; who are they coming as airlines to pick out of our country?
“So, they are not supposed to come in. I am very sure in the next three days; Monday or Tuesday, all those countries will be put on the red list of COVID-19.
“Once they are on the red list, which means they are banned, their airlines will also be banned. I am so sorry we are going through difficult times, but it is in the interest of our country,” Sirika said.