In Photos: How Ban On International Flights Due To COVID-19 Is Affecting Nigerians
As part of its precaution to curtail the spread of Covid-19, the Federal Government is expected to shut down its major international airports, effective today.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said in a communique on Saturday, March 21, that the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja would be closed to all international flights.
“Henceforth, all airports in Nigeria are closed to all incoming international flights, with the exception of emergency and essential flights,” the statement read. “Domestic flights will continue normal operations at all airports.”
Neusroom can confirm that at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Monday morning, many people looking to travel out of the country are stranded. Those whose flights were rescheduled for today are hanging around, with the hope of leaving the country later today.
One traveller, a Nigerian-born American soldier who arrived Nigeria about three weeks ago with the expectation of returning to the United States on Sunday (yesterday), got his flight cancelled.
The soldier, who pleaded anonymity, told Neusroom “I just have to travel today. My airline cancelled my flight yesterday and I didn’t even know on time. I was here (at the airport) yesterday and they assured me that I can fly today,” he told us.
“I have to report to base (the military in the US) or else I’d be in big trouble,” he added, saying that officials at the airport have assured him that his airline would fly this evening.
Neusroom also gathers that other travellers are apprehensive, unsure about their flights’ status.
Another observer at the airport told us that the NCAA’s sanction on international flights may not be effective just yet, saying “Two flights came in this morning – one from Dubai but I did not get the other one well.”
Nigeria has so far recorded 30 cases of coronavirus, with 90% of the patients said to have arrived from foreign countries in the past week.
See photos from the MMIA airport as at Monday morning below:
