Nigeria today completed the ban on all international flights into her airports with further restriction of flights into Murtala Muhammed (Lagos) and Nnamdi Azikiwe (Abuja) International Airports with effect from Monday, 23 March.
The regulator – Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) – had earlier directed that the Mallam Aminu Kano (Kano), Akanu Ibiam (Enugu), and Port Harcourt International Airports be closed to international traffic with effect from 11.00 p.m. today, Saturday 21 March.
“Henceforth, all airports in Nigeria ae closed to all incoming international flights,” the CEO of NCAA, Capt. Musa S. Nuhu, said in a memo sent to managers of international airlines in Nigeria.
Capt. Musa, however, said that the restriction will be relaxed for “emergency and essential” international flights.
The ban did not also extend to flights within the country.
“Domestic flights will continue normal operations at all airports,” Musa said.
Airlines that will fly in between now and the Monday deadline were also asked to submit their passenger manifest to Port Health officials before their flights land in Nigeria.
Universities shut down Mon. 23 March
Universities in Nigeria will also be shut down on Monday 23 March for a period of one month, as directed by another regulatory body, the National Universities Commission (NUC), a measure designed to assist current efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.
A statement signed yesterday 20 March by Dr. Suleiman Ramon-Yusuf on behalf of the NUC Executive Secretary asked vice chancellors of all Nigerian universities to ensure immediate compliance with the directive.
The NUC emphasized that the directive is a measure that will help efforts to “contain and prevent the spread of the virus throughout the country.”
With this development, most schools in Nigeria will be under lock and key for the next one month as the country grapples with the pandemic which has already claimed over 10,000 lives worldwide and infected more than a quarter of a million people.
Nigeria is relatively stable at 12 confirmed cases out of which there have been no fatalities while two of the cases have gone on to recover.
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