The Lagos State Government has said that 119 in-bound passengers from high-risk countries namely India, Brazil and Turkey, have refused to be isolated after coming back into the country.
This is as the government has encouraged the families of those that have refused to be isolated to appeal to their loved ones to return for testing and isolation.
This disclosure is contained in a press statement titled: ‘Update on the Covid-19 response, vaccination strategy and the implementation of the new guidelines to enforce mandatory isolation for travellers in Lagos State,’ issued by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on Sunday, May 20, 2021.
Abayomi, who noted that Lagos State accounts for over 95% of the in-bound passengers into the country, said that since the commencement of the new guidelines and ban on non-Nigerians travelling from these 3 high-risk countries into the country, the state has recorded 568 in-bound passengers, who have been permitted to enter the country from these 3 nations.
The commissioner said that 433 passengers have been isolated in various accredited hotels and facilities, with 262 in isolation and 154 discharged with negative Covid-19 test results, adding that 9 tested positive to Covid-19 and are successfully isolated to prevent community transmission.
What the Lagos State Commissioner of Health is saying
Abayomi said that all passengers that absconded will have their passports deactivated for a minimum of one year, if Nigerian and if foreign, will have their resident permits cancelled and deported as stated by the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19.
The commissioner, in his statement, said: “Lagos State accounts for more than 95% of the in-bound passengers into the country and, as such, the State Government has been proactive in setting up a system as well as protocols to manage in-bound passengers from all countries, especially countries where variants are actively circulating. Lagos State Government is working closely with Federal Airports Authority and Agencies. We have set up structures that will ease the passenger journey by modifying the Lagos State booking platform to provide several hotels that have been accredited by our Accreditation Agencies for passengers arriving from India, Brazil or Turkey.
Since the commencement of the new guidelines and the ban on non-Nigerians travelling from three countries (India, Brazil and Turkey) into Nigeria, Lagos State has recorded 568 in-bound passengers, who have been permitted to enter Nigeria from these three countries. We have isolated 433 passengers in our various accredited hotels and facilities; 262 are in Isolation and 154 passengers have been discharged with a negative COVID-19 test. Nine have tested positive to COVID-19 and have been successfully isolated to prevent community transmission. Of the remaining 135 passengers, 119 have refused isolation and 16 are unaccounted for.
The families of those that have refused to be isolated should appeal to their loved ones to return for testing and isolation.
However, all passengers that have been confirmed absconders will have their passports deactivated for a minimum of one year, if Nigerian and if foreign, will have their resident permits cancelled and deported as stated by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19. All absconders will also face the penalties of the Coronavirus Pandemic Law 2021 of Lagos State, including varying lengths of prison time up to one year and fines of up to N500,000. All affected passengers are to present themselves to the Yaba Mainland Hospital for assessment and COVID-19 tests to evaluate their status.”
Abayomi also disclosed that the second list of passengers that absconded will soon be published.
What you should know
On March 12, 2021, the Lagos State Government flagged off its Covid-19 vaccination campaign and has so far inoculated a total of 317,916 people with the first dose of the Oxford Astra-Zeneca vaccine. This means that 1.32% of the State’s population have received the first dose.
On May 24, 2021, the Presidential Steering Committee led by Mr Boss Mustapha, working together with the Covid-19 response in Lagos State, led by the Incident Commander, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, published the first list of defaulters of the laid down protocols travelling through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport as it relates to the red-listed countries (India, Brazil and Turkey).
The new guidelines are explained as follows: The Federal Government of Nigeria recently banned Foreign Nationals from India, Brazil and Turkey from entering into Nigeria.
— The Lagos State Govt (@followlasg) May 30, 2021