FG retaliates, bans flights from Canada, UK, Saudi Arabia, others

Etim Ekpimah

The Federal Government of Nigeria has banned flights from Canada, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and more in retaliation against travel restrictions placed on Nigeria over the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

It was learnt that beginning from Tuesday, December 14, the FG will limit airlines from Canada, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina from Nigeria.

The Minister of Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, announced the decision on Sunday in Lagos and said that it was to reciprocate restricted flights from Nigeria into those countries over the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron.

According to the minister, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would also place the United Kingdom, Canada, and Saudi Arabia on a red list over the outbreak and spread of the Omicron variant.

The minister added that if those countries placed Nigeria on a red list, they lacked a moral right to have their airlines fly into Nigeria on commercial operations.

“There is also the case of Saudi Arabia that put Nigeria on the ban list. On Sunday, I participated in a meeting with the COVID-19 task force.

“We have given our input that it is not acceptable by us, and we recommended that Canada, the UK, Saudi Arabia and Argentina should also be put on the red list.

“As they did to us, if they do not allow our citizens into their countries; who are they coming, as airlines, to pick from our country?

“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,’’ the minister said.

He emphasised that the airlines of the affected countries remained banned, and the countries placed on Nigeria’s red list.

Sirika apologised to Nigerians intending to travel to those countries but said the Nigerian government’s decision was in the interest of the country.