LAGOS – Sunday 11 July 2021: No fewer than 358 passengers from red-listed countries-India, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey that are required to observe mandatory isolation on arriving Nigeria have absconded in Lagos.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Sunday, while giving update on COVID-19 status in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

Sanwo-Olu said as dictated by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC), passengers from red-listed countries (India, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey) were required to observe mandatory isolation.

“So far, we have successfully isolated 2,386 passengers in Lagos State. Of this number, 15% (358) have absconded,” he disclosed.

The governor said sanctions were being recommended and have already been meted out to defaulters, saying that for foreigners, there would be revocation of their Permanent Residency, and deportation, while for Nigerians, prosecution to the full extent of the Lagos State COVID-19 Law had been recommended.

On travel protocols for in-bound passengers, Sanwo-Olu revealed that between 8th May, 2021 and 7th July, 2021, a total of 50,322 passengers of interest arrived in Lagos via the Murtala Mohammed Airport, saying that of the 50,322 passengers, 18 percent (9,057) could not be reached by EKOTELEMED because of the provision of either wrong numbers or wrong Nigerian contact details to be reached on. (

“It is the responsibility of passengers to ensure they provide the right details for us to reach them for proper monitoring. Going forward, passengers that do not provide the right details, including a phone number they can be reached for monitoring and an address for isolation, will face serious sanctions including fines and imprisonment according to our Lagos State Coronavirus Law of 2021,” he said.

On religious activities, Sanwo-Olu said greater vigilance was required at this time in churches and mosques and other places of religious worship.

“Even as we are pleased that religious houses are now open for worship, after the lengthy closures of 6 2020, we must not allow ourselves to be carried away by the illusion that all is now back to normal. This is especially critical, as Sallah approaches, in a little over a week from now.