The Nigerian Government on Tuesday said it would start seizing the international passports of erring Nigerian returnees, who failed to comply with the PCR test at the point of entry.
Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 stated this on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that about 65 per cent of Nigerians returning to the country had failed to comply with the PCR test, noting that the government had decided to place the sanction for defaulters for six months.
He said, “As you may recall, the PTF announced the guidelines on the reopening of the airspace and the obligations of arriving passengers.
“The PTF similarly announced sanctions as a consequence of any infraction. Having observed serious non-compliance to the level of 65%, the need has arisen to activate the sanctions which include the suspension of the passports of such defaulting individuals for six months minimum.”
Mustapha also observed that following the resurgence of the pandemic in Europe and the United States, the government had also been on the alert.
According to him, Nigeria as a country remained at risk of importation having opened its airspace and massive spread as a result of the protests.
“The next week or two remains critical. The PTF has noted with sadness the failure of Nigerians who arrived from abroad to present themselves for the in-country PCR test which they signed up for and paid before arrival.
“Statistics emerging from our records show that only one out of three passengers have shown up for the in-country test,” he added.
