Immigration enforces ban on 100 travellers for violating COVID-19 protocols

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has commenced the enforcement of travel restriction order on 100 passengers who violated the COVID-19 protocols of the Federal Government.

NIS Public Relations Officer, Sunday James, announced this in a statement on Monday.

According to him, the Comptroller-General of the service, Muhammad Babandede, has directed the relevant formations in the country to ensure immediate compliance with the travel restriction order.

The NIS spokesman explained that the action of the immigration boss was in line with the government’s directives on temporary travel restrictions on the 100 passengers.

He said the erring travellers failed to comply with the mandatory day-seven post-arrival COVID-19 PCR Test for all inbound passengers.

“The 100 defaulting passengers have been restricted for a period of six months, from January 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021.

“All the affected passengers have been notified and will be prevented from passport re-issuance and travelling outside the country during this period,” the statement said.

The service warned the affected passengers to comply with the restriction order to avoid breaching public health protocols and refusal of departure.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, had hinted that the details of the first 100 passengers who failed to take the test would be published in the national dailies.

Mustapha, who is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), gave the hint at the PTF briefing held on Tuesday last week in Abuja.

He added that the passports of the affected people would also be suspended till June 2021, to serve as a deterrent for others.

This comes as the government imposes stricter measures to curb a further spread of the disease as Nigeria begins to see the second wave of COVID-19 cases.

Despite the disturbing single-day number of cases reported recently, the government believes a second nationwide lockdown is not yet the way to go.

As of Sunday night, Nigeria has a total of 90,080 confirmed cases of COVID-19, out of which 75,044 people have been discharged and 1,311 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). (Channels TV)