The Federal Government has lifted the initial suspension on the evacuation of Nigerians stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, made this known in a series of tweets on Monday.
“Yesterday at the media briefing session of the Presidential Taskforce on #COVID19 Response, the National Coordinator, Dr. Aliyu Sani announced the lifting of the suspension on evacuation flights of Nigerians into Nigeria. @NigeriaGov @DigiCommsNG @AlikoDangote #PTFCOVID19,” he said.
“A new protocol (very generously funded by the Dangote Foundation) now in place obviates the need for mandatory 14-day supervised hotel quarantine and instead introduces home self-isolation. Excellent news for our long-suffering compatriots around the world. #StayHomeSaveLives.”
Recall that the FG almost a fortnight ago suspended the evacuation of Nigerians in diaspora until a new structure was put in place to handle the evacuees.
Dr Aliyu, however, on Monday gave details on the new guidelines designed by the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, immigration and security authorities as well as the aviation sector.
“There will be a need for Nigerians wanting to come into the country to undergo PCR tests for COVID-19 before they board. These tests need to be valid for at least 14 days. In other words, if the test is done beyond 14 days, it will not be accepted,” he said.
“Prior to boarding, they will be required to sign an undertaking that they will follow the necessary precautions that we will apply when they come into the country. These will include:
“They will make themselves available for repeat PCR tests in the country when they arrived within 72 hours. They will be given an appointment card and an address where they will go and have the tests done.
“They will also be required to stay in the point of entry which will be Lagos or Abuja for now because these are the two cities where the flights will be coming in and this is the arrangement we have made with the private sector.
“They will make arrangement for their own accommodation in these two cities for a period of 14 days. Unlike in the past, we will not be responsible for the transportation or accommodation of Nigerians coming in. They will need to make arrangement for their own alternative to stay in Lagos or Abuja not only for the period of testing but also for the period of self-isolation. But if they wish, they can stay at home, provided they undergo self-isolation at home.
“Their tests must be negative before the flight and when they come in, they will have a repeat test within 72 hours to be sure that they have not developed COVID-19.
“They will then be followed up through a strict process of regularised isolation where they will be contacted every day and monitored for the presence of symptoms that might required them to be taken to treatment centres if they subsequently become positive.”
Aliyu said the process will be smoothened to ensure about 1,000 Nigerians are repatriated per week so as to clear the backlog of over 4,000 stranded Nigerians in the next four weeks.
