FG Declares 90 Travellers From India, Brazil, Turkey ‘Persons Of Interest’ For Violating COVID-19 Protocol
Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has declared 90 travellers as ‘persons of interest’ for violating the protocol for passengers arriving Nigeria from restricted countries.
In a statement by the Chairman of PSC and Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, the Committee said the 90 persons, who are currently at large, had violated the guidelines issued for travellers entering Nigeria from India, Turkey and Brazil.
PSC said it will also sanction the travellers by disabling their passports for at least one year, while foreigners will have their visas cancelled.
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The affected travellers — who arrived Nigeria have been mandated to report to the nearest government health facility within the next 48 hours.
Mustapha revealed that the erring persons comprised 63 Nigerians and 27 foreigners, noting that the committee had issued a travel advisory on May 1 for passengers arriving in Nigeria from those countries.
He added that the measures were necessary to mitigate the risk of importation of variants of concern and break the chain of transmission to the population.
Mustapha added;
Under the new measures, passengers arriving from/or that have visited any of these three countries within fourteen (14) days prior to the visit to Nigeria, are required to follow mandatory arrival quarantine and testing protocols in designated facilities.
The Presidential Steering Committee (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 erring persons, according to the SGF, arrived in Nigeria between May 8 and 15 through Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
He added that they have been declared Persons of Interest (POI) on account of posing a considerable danger to overall public health and for the violation of the nation’s COVID-19 travel protocol by evading quarantine.
Mustapha advised Nigerians to be wary of such persons of interest, saying they constitute an immediate health hazard to the society.
He also asked the erring persons to transport themselves safely to the nearest state public health departments within the next 48 hours for evaluation and call the Port Health Services, Federal Ministry of Health on 08036134672 or 08032461990 for further directions.
Mustapha expressed;
The PSC shall, in addition, take further steps to sanction these violators. These steps include disabling their travel passports for a period not less than one year; cancelation of visas/ permits of foreigners that have abused our hospitality; and prosecution under the 2021 Health Protection Regulations.
Additional list of Batch II defaulters shall be published in a subsequent announcement by the PSC.
See the full list of the persons whose names were published below:
