Omicron: Your Decision To Slam Travel Ban On Nigeria Unjust, Unfair, Discriminatory, Not Based On Science – FG Knocks UK Govt

The federal government has accused the United Kingdom of unjust, unfair, punitive, indefensible and discriminatory behaviour over its decision to slam a travel ban on Nigeria due to discovered cases of COVID-19 Omicron cases.

The federal government through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the step taken by the UK government is not based on science as Nigeria does not belong on the red list of any country.

The Minister who made the position known while addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday gave a hint that the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) will also take a retaliatory decision on the matter soon.

Ezenwoko’s Blog recalls that the United Kingdom on Saturday banned all flights from Nigeria following the three cases of the Omicron Variant detected in the country.

This is coming after the Canadian government also imposed a travel ban on Nigeria after detecting the variant from travellers who landed in the country from Nigeria.

The Nigeria Government had on Wednesday confirmed three cases of the Omicron variant from travellers from South Africa.

Mohammed however argued that the cases didn’t originate from Nigeria, hence it was wrong of the UK government and other countries to slam any form of restriction or travel ban on Nigeria.

He further expressed optimism that the UK and other governments that have taken similar steps will rescind their decisions.

He said: “As you are aware, Britain has put Nigeria on its red list and banned foreign travels from our country.

”This is as a result of the discovery of Covid-19 cases, Omicron variant, in Nigeria. Britain now joins other countries, including Canada, which have taken a similar action against Nigeria over Omicron.

”Let me say straight away that it’s up to the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) to respond to this action by the British government and others, and I have no doubt that the Committee will respond appropriately.

”However, as the Spokesman for the Federal Government, I can say, without mincing words, that the decision by the British government to put Nigeria on the red list, just because of less than two dozen cases of Omicron which, by the way, did not originate in Nigeria, is unjust, unfair, punitive, indefensible and discriminatory. The decision is also not driven by science.

“We sincerely hope the British government will immediately review the decision to put Nigeria on its red list and rescind it immediately. Nigeria has handled the Covid-19 pandemic with utmost responsibility and based on science, and has rightly earned global accolades for its efforts.

“Nigeria does not belong on any country’s red list.”