Reacting to the ‘Omicron Travel Ban’ on Nigeria by the UK, Canada and Saudi Arabia, the Federal Government has decided to follow the three countries, ‘Tooth For A Tooth’ and ‘Eye For An Eye’ to achieve the justice they deserve. The airlines from these countries will not fly into Nigeria airspace from Tuesday, December 14.
According to Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, today 12th December in Lagos, stated that it was to retaliate the travel ban placed on Nigeria over the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. by these top countries.
The Aviation minister maintained that Nigeria have no choice but to ban the three countries the United Kingdom, Canada, and Saudi Arabia from getting even close to Nigerian airspace over the spread of the Omicron variant.
According to NAN, the minister noted that if those countries placed Nigeria on a red list, they do not have the moral right to have their airlines fly into Nigeria on commercial operations.
He said:
“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,” NAN quoted the minister as saying. “We have given our input that it is not acceptable by us, and we recommended that those Canada, the UK, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina 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.” He stressed that airlines of the affected countries remained banned and the countries placed on Nigeria’s red list. Sirika apologized to Nigerians intending to travel to those countries but said the Nigerian government’s decision was in the interest of the country.
