Minister of Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, announced the
decision on Sunday in Lagos and explained that it was to reciprocate restricted
flights from Nigeria into those countries over the new COVID-19 variant,
Omicron.
Sirika said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration
would also place the United Kingdom, Canada and Saudi Arabia on a red list over
the outbreak and spread of the Omicron variant.
The minister noted that if those countries placed Nigeria on
a red list, they lacked a moral right to have their airlines fly into Nigeria
on commercial operations.
“There is also the case of Saudi Arabia that put Nigeria on
the ban list. On Sunday, I participated in a meeting with the COVID-19 task
force.
“We have given our input that it is not acceptable by us and
we recommended that those Canada, the UK, Saudi Arabia and Argentina also be
put on the red list.
“As they did to us, if they do not allow our citizens into
their countries; who are they coming, as airlines, to pick from our country?
“They are not supposed to come in. I am very sure in the
next three days; Monday or Tuesday, all those countries will be put on the red
list of COVID-19,’’ the minister said.
He stressed that airlines of the affected countries remained
banned and the countries placed on Nigeria’s red list.
Sirika apologised to Nigerians intending to travel to those
countries, but said Nigerian government’s decision was in the interest of the country.