New COVID-19 Strain Already In Nigeria, Too Late To Ban Flight From UK, Claims Omokri

Reno Omokri, a former aide to erstwhile President, Goodluck Jonathan has on Tuesday argued that it is too late for the Federal government to start considering banning flight from the United Kingdom (UK). According to him, the new variant of COVID-19 was already in Nigeria.

Omokri took to his Twitter page to react to a move by the Federal Government to ban flights from the UK. The government's action is intended to prevent the entrance of the dangerous variant of COVID-19 believed to be domiciled in the UK.

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According to Omokri, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration refused to shut down flights from the UK because their relatives were still in the UK as at the time calls were made to shut down flights from the European country.

"It’s idiotic for FG to now say they are considering banning UK flights from next week. It is too late. The new #COVID19 strain is already in Nigeria. We urged them to do it immediately, but they demurred, because #Buhari’s relatives were still in the UK," Omokri tweeted.

Recall that AllNews earlier reported that the Federal government released fresh COVID-19 protocols for travellers coming into the country from the UK and South Africa where new dangerous COVID-19 variants were discovered.

Announcing the development on last week Thursday, Sani Aliyu the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, revealed that the new directive will take effect from Monday, December 28.

According to Aliyu, all passengers flying into the country from the UK and South Africa on direct flights must register through the Nigerian International Travel Portal.

Further revealing that the traveller will also be mandated to fill in a health questionnaire and upload a negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction, (PCR) result with a validity of not more than five days, the coordinator said that the travellers must pay for the PCR test at least seven days after arrival in the country without which they would not be allowed to board the flights.

Also, he said that a special register will be created at airports for passengers from the two countries to ensure that they presented themselves for the coronavirus tes.

“We’ll continue to be concerned about the emergence of the new variant of COVID-19 in the UK and an additional mutate from South Africa.

“The system for travels in terms of ensuring the safety of our citizens and preventing the importation of cases in the country is very strict.

“We are one of the few countries that do double testing, that have a travel portal where you can go in and enter your details including your health questionnaire and pay for a test.

“Specifically, for the UK and South Africa, the PTF has met and we have decided that additional measures will be required to ensure the safety of our citizens.

“So effective from 12:00 a.m. on Monday, December 28, all passengers coming into the country from the UK and South Africa on direct flights must use the Nigerian International Travel Portal to register.

“Fill in the health questionnaire and must upload a negative COVID-19 PCR result with a validity of not more than five days and must pay for a COVID PCR test on day seven of arrival in the country.

“When you are leaving the UK or South Africa, you need two documents that you have to present to the airlines.”

 

It’s idiotic for FG to now say they are considering banning UK flights from next week. It is too late. The new #COVID19 strain is already in Nigeria. We urged them to do it immediately, but they demurred, because #Buhari’s relatives were still in the UK#EndBadGoveranceInNigeria

— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) December 29, 2020