COVID-19: Buhari govt threatens travelers

 

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has threatened to sanction travelers who refused to present themselves for a mandatory in-country Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test.

 

The Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, made the disclosure in a media briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, NAN reports.

 

Mustapha said that the need had arisen to activate the sanctions which included the suspension of passports of such defaulting individuals for a period of six months minimum or outright visa cancellation.

 

Recall that the PTF had earlier urged individuals traveling to Nigeria from any country to take a COVID-19 PCR test and have a negative result before traveling.

 

He also urged them to stay in self-isolation for seven days on arrival in Nigeria and take another COVID-19 PCR test on day seven.

 

Mustapha raised alarm over the failure of some Nigerians who arrived from abroad to present themselves for the in-country PCR test which they signed up to and paid before arrival.

 

“It has, therefore, resolved to revoke passports of travellers that fail to conduct the mandatory COVID-19 PCR test,” he said.