A number of UK-based Nigerians who planned to attend a religious programme back home recently got stranded at Heathrow airport in London.
The Nigerians, who booked a Lufthansa Airlines flight, with a stopover in Frankfurt, Germany, were denied access to the European country.
The authorities in Frankfurt said they could not stop over at their airport because their originating country, UK, is no longer a member of the European Union.
According to one of the affected passengers, the authorities said Britain has refused to renew an agreement which would have enabled flights from UK to have access to Germany and other EU member countries.
Britain, after a lengthy debate by parliament, formally withdrew its membership of the EU few months ago.
Bishop Raymond Opia, a London-based Nigerian clergyman, who wanted to attend religious event in Calabar, Cross River State, was one of several Nigerians stranded at Heathrow airport.
Opia sent a message to his hosts in Calabar, saying: “I was disappointed at the Heathrow Airport yesterday as I was coming to Nigeria.
“I had booked Lufthansa Airlines and because we were to have a stop over in Frankfurt, they said I should have Shengen visa for 18 EU countries because Britain is out of EU and their grace period is over.
“Looking at the stress I had before the journey I decided to forget it. I will come later in the year.”
Asked about possibility of a refund of his air fare, Opia said the airline has only refunded half of the money.
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