Monday, 24 May 2021: Nigerian government Sunday night wielded the big stick by publicly declaring a total of 90 travellers, who recently visited or arrived from India, Brazil and Turkey, as potential health hazards to the society and seek their whereabouts.

A statement issued by the Presidential Steering Committee, (PSC), on COVID-19 and signed by its chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the identified individuals failed to observe the newly instituted mandatory protocols recently put in place against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the statement, the list, which contains a total of 27 Indians and 63 Nigerians, arrived Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

According to the PSC, while the affected airlines are Ethiopian airline and Qatar airways, the 27 Indian violators were categorised as unregistered.

The statement gave the dates of their arrival to be between May 8 and 15, noting that they “evaded the mandatory seven-day quarantine for persons arriving from restricted countries.”

The statement reads in part; “The Presidential Steering Committee on May 1, 2021, issued a Travel Advisory for Passengers arriving in Nigeria from Brazil, India and Turkey. These precautionary measures are a necessary step to mitigate the risk of importation of variants of concern and break the chain of transmission to the population. Under the new measures, passengers arriving from/or that have visited any of these three countries within fourteen (14) days prior to the visit to Nigeria, are required to follow mandatory arrival quarantine and testing protocols in designated facilities.

“The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) has, however, observed that while most of the arriving passengers dutifully observed the guidelines, some (Nigerians and foreigners) have violated them in contravention of the provisions of the CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) HEALTH REGULATIONS PROTECTION, 2021. Accordingly, the underlisted persons who arrived in Nigeria between 8th May 2021 and 15th May 2021 through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and whose names and passport numbers are displayed, have been declared Persons of Interest (POI) on account of posing considerable danger to overall public health and for the violation of Nigeria COVID-19 travel protocol by evading the mandatory 7-day quarantine for persons arriving from restricted countries.”

The government has, therefore, called on Nigerians to beware of the individuals, declaring them as persons of interest who “constitute an immediate health hazard to the society.”

“They must therefore transport themselves safely, to the nearest state public health departments within 48hrs of this notice for immediate evaluation and call the Port Health Services, Federal Ministry of Health on 08036134672 or 08032461990 for further directions,” the statement added.

It further added that the concerned violators shall face regulatory sanctions including but not limited to, “disabling their travel passports for a period not less than one year; cancelation of visas or permits of foreigners that have abused our hospitality; and prosecution under the 2021 Health Protection Regulations.”

It said additional list of second batch of defaulters shall be published in subsequent announcement by the committee.

The list of the Indian violators includes include; Abha Jalandhar Punjab, Ajaya Kumarmurali, Kapil Shikarpur Uttarpradesh, Chandra Dakshya, Vekwa Dinesh Kumar

Thatill Tijo George, Anand Amit Kumar, Puthussery John Joseph, Rathore Babu Lal, Umesh Narayan Kotian, Kabid Shauna, Ramesh Rao, Biswal Naresh, Puthussery John Joseph, Mukherjee Sobhan, Birla Mahesh Kumar, Mishra Ajay Kumar, Mishra Shlok, Mihsra Nanjari, Bendre Abhijit Bhagwan, Shah Jignesh, Dogra Sumit, Pradhan Bharat Chandra, Chandan Kumar Pandey, Kaur Armin, Francis Micky and Pokale Honaji

Also listed are, Imojire Charles Edemhenmhen, Shittu Olamide Hammed, Niguri Elizabeth T. and Oviasuyi Osage Brown, who were said to have arrived Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport on May 15, 2021.

Others are; Ogunsanya Omotola S., Chioma Ebeh, Gerald Chukwuma Anyadigibe Adedapo-Aisida Oluwayemisi, Obi Tochukwu Bright, Ajibade, Temitope, Abdulsalam Yusuf, Umezurike Bernard, Passos Okori, Obi John, Unaje Chuks, Eluke Aaron, Mogbonjubola Taiwo, Adesina Adeola Kudirat, Adesina Abdulselem O, Onukwube Ericm, Okonkwo Chukwuebuka, Lebura Agefachuwku, Obidi Chukwud, Onyekwelu Dumebi, Anakpe Reuben, among others.