The Nigerian government says it has suspended the passports of more than 2,000 Nigerians accused of violating Covid-prevention protocols after returning from abroad.
national incident manager of the presidential steering committee on Covid-19, Dr Mukhtar Mohammed clarified that the passports would remain suspended for a year.
As the country anticipates a third wave of infections, Mohammed says surveillance systems have been improved at airports, seaports, and land borders, and travellers found to have violated the protocol have been “penalised”.
He says attention is now focused on travellers, especially those arriving from what are seen as high-risk countries who might try and evade isolation orders.
People arriving from places such as India, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey are expected to be in quarantine for 14 days at government-approved facilities.