COVID-19: Returning Nigerians’ll be quarantined by NCDC – FG



The Federal Government has said Nigerians returning to the country amid the coronavirus pandemic would not be allowed to self-isolate in their homes because most of them break the rule.

This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Dabiri-Erewa said the government won’t jeopardise the health of about 200 million Nigerians by permitting citizens coming into the country to observe self-isolation.

She insisted that, upon entry into Nigeria, they would be quarantined at a location approved by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control for two weeks and tested for COVID-19.

The NIDCOM boss revealed the position of the government while reacting to queries via her Twitter handle.


A user, @Horladoqun, had tweeted, “On arrival 14-day compulsory isolation…I ask where do they isolate themselves? Their homes? (who monitors them?) Or how do you confirm they actually went into isolation? Else we may be letting loose another set of cases/community transmission.”

“Compulsory. At a facility provided by the government. From past experiences according to NCDC, most broke the self-isolation rules,” Dabiri-Erewa responded, adding, “That is why the NCDC gave strict conditions. Test before coming, and on arrival 14-day compulsory isolation. But some say it’s too tough The interests of 200m Nigerians must be put into consideration.”

The NIDCOM boss insisted that compatriots who tested positive for the virus would not be allowed into the country.

She gave the example of the 24 Nigerians, who recently returned from Togo, saying one of them tested positive and is still in Togo while others were allowed into the country but have been quarantined in an NCDC facility where they would be for two weeks.

She added that they would be tested again for coronavirus at the end of their stay and only those who tested negative would be released to join the Nigerian population.

It was earlier reported that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, announced that it was collating expressions of interest from citizens abroad, who wished to be evacuated to Nigeria amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The NIDCOM boss had also said one of the conditions for the evacuation was for evacuees to test negative for the virus and they would be required to present the certificate of the test to authorities before they are allowed to board the flight.

As of Monday night, there were 343 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country while 91 recoveries and 10 deaths have been recorded.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday night, extended lockdown in Abuja; Lagos and Ogun States by another 14 days, as part of measures to curb the spread of the disease.

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