The federal government has threatened to deny entry into the country of non-Nigerian passport holders and non-residents who visited Brazil, India, Turkey or South Africa within 14 days preceding their travel to Nigeria.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, said this on Wednesday in Abuja in a revised provisional quarantine protocol specific to those four countries for travellers arriving in Nigeria.
According to him, the protocol, which does not apply to passengers who transited through the countries, will come into effect from July 2, 2021.
The government, a few weeks ago, had declared 222 Nigerians and foreigners who visited India, Turkey and Brazil, as persons of interest, especially that they violated the quarantine provisions of the government’s COVID-19 protocol.
In addition to that, it revoked the visas of the foreigners, while the Nigerian citizens had their passports frozen for six months.
The specific guidelines for the four countries also warned that airlines that failed to comply with the protocols would mandatorily pay a penalty of $3,500 for each defaulting passenger while non-Nigerians would be denied entry and returned to the country of embarkation at a cost to the airline.
Also, Nigerians and those with a permanent resident permit, who visited the aforementioned countries within the 14 days preceding travel to Nigeria, would be made to undergo seven days of mandatory quarantine in a government-approved facility at the point-of-entry city and at a cost to the passenger.
The PSC added that passengers from those countries would, within 24 hours of arrival, take a COVID-19 PCR test and should be admitted within a government-approved treatment centre, in line with National treatment protocols if positive.
“If the test is negative, the passenger will continue to remain in quarantine and made to undergo a repeat PCR test on day seven of their quarantine,” the protocol said.
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