COVID-19: FG in manhunt for 90 travellers from India, Brazil, Turkey

The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has mounted a manhunt for 90 travellers, both Nigerians and foreigners, whom it described as dangers to Nigeria’s public health.

In a statement by the Chairman of the PSC and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, the committee said the 90 persons, who are currently at large across the country, had violated the guidelines issued for travellers entering Nigeria from India, Turkey and Brazil.

The Federal Government, after identifying the danger posed to global health by new variants of COVID-19, which were predominantly found in the three countries, had introduced a travel advisory, mandating travellers from any of the countries, or who had visited any of them 14 days prior to arrival in Nigeria, to undergo a compulsory arrival quarantine and testing protocols.

However, according to the statement, the said 90 offenders, whose names and passport details were also made available in the schedule released by the PSC yesterday night, sneaked into the country without respecting the advisory.

They have been accused of endangering Nigeria’s public health regulations, which attract spelt out punishments.

“The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 on May 1, 2021 issued a Travel Advisory for Passengers arriving in Nigeria from Brazil, India and Turkey.  These precautionary measures are a necessary step to mitigate the risk of importation of variants of concern and break the chain of transmission to the population.Under the new measures, passengers arriving from/or that have visited any of these three countries within 14 days prior to the visit to Nigeria, are required to follow mandatory arrival quarantine and testing protocols in designated facilities.The PSC has, however, observed that while most of the arriving passengers dutifully observed the guidelines, some (Nigerians and Foreigners) have violated them in contravention of the provisions of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Regulations Protection, 2021,” the committee said.