Omicron: Nigeria Should Also Place UK, Others On Travel Ban – Moghalu

Former presidential candidate, Kingsley Moghalu has asked the Nigerian government to place the United Kingdom and other western countries on a travel ban.

Ezenwoko’s Blog had reported that the British government had on Saturday banned all flights from Nigeria following the three cases of the Omicron Variant detected in the country.

The UK also suspended all pending visa applications in Nigeria due to the ban on flights from the Western African country.

Reacting to the decision of the British government, the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration described the move as disappointing and ‘ill-advised’.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said the UK’s action would disrupt commerce and other activities during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

He explained that while Nigeria has detected the COVID-19 virus on travellers from the UK, the cases have not been confirmed to be the Omicron variant.

But in a post on his social media page on Monday, Moghalu urged Nigeria and other African countries to ban flights from the UK and other foreign nations that have blacklisted them due to the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

The former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria admonished African leaders to protect the dignity of their countries and stop begging for foreign assistance in order to fight the pandemic.

He wrote, “Nigeria and other African countries such as South Africa should issue reciprocal restrictions or bans on any Western countries that restrict or ban travel by Africans because of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

“It’s unconscionable to subject Africans to restrictions because of a variant that did not originate from the continent when Western countries with similar or more cases are not subject to similar restrictions.

“This is more than public health. It’s about worldviews in international relations. Our dignity matters. Our leaders should protect it instead of as is the case with Nigeria today, travelling around the world with a begging bowl for foreign assistance.”