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Travel ban: Nigeria, UK may clash, FG alleges action discriminatory

The United Kingdom on Monday justified its travel ban on Nigeria, saying the measure was a temporary measure aimed at protecting its public health.

The Head of Communications, British High Commission, Dean Hurlock, stated this in response to inquiries from The PUNCH on Monday evening, just at the Federal Government said the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 would respond to the travel ban.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who said this at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, described the travel ban as discriminatory.

Also, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, Alhaji Sharafa Ishola, described the travel ban as apartheid.

Britain had on Saturday  banned  Nigerian travellers after it said it discovered 21 cases of the Omicron variant in people who recently visited Nigeria.

Last week, Canada banned Nigerian travellers after the detection of the variant in persons who  visited Nigeria.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire,  in an interview  on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme on Sunday, faulted the ban, saying it would hurt livelihoods.

It is not about retaliation but what is best for our country. The PSC will take a decision on the matter soon but it will be in the best interest of our country. Even the United Nations described the act as travel apartheid. That is exactly what it is,” Mamora said.

Travel ban over Omicron variant apartheid – Nigeria high commissioner to UK

Also, Nigeria’s high commissioner to the UK , Ishola, described the travel restrictions imposed on the country as “apartheid”.

Speaking on a BBC radio programme on Monday, Ishola said the ban on Nigeria was “travel apartheid”

The high commissioner said what was expected of the UK was a global approach and not a selective measure, adding that most Omicron cases in Nigeria came from elsewhere through travellers.

In a related development, British Airways on Monday informed travel agents in Nigeria about the restriction of flights from Nigeria to the UK following the ban.

It disclosed this in a notice, titled, “Restrictions for travel from Nigeria to the UK,” which was sent to travel agents of the international carrier that operate in Nigeria.

This came as it was gathered in Abuja on Monday that most passengers of the airline stayed away from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, due to the restrictions by the carrier and the ban on Nigeria by the UK government.

The notice by British Airways to travel agents read in part, “As a result of the UK government placing Nigeria on to the red list, we continue to closely monitor the situation and adjust our schedule accordingly.

“All flights from Lagos to London Heathrow have been re-timed. This is due to restrictions at London Heathrow to support arrivals from a red-list country.

“All customers travelling from Nigeria must follow the UK government’s rules on arrivals from a red-list country and have a negative PCR test result within the 48 hours prior to their departure from Nigeria.”

It added, “Only British or Irish nationals or customers who have residence rights in the UK will be allowed to enter the UK, where they will be required to quarantine in a government facility.”

The airline further explained that arrivals from Nigeria would land at Heathrow Terminal 5 where any customer whose journey terminates, would be taken on a bus to Terminal 4 for processing.