Mr. Muhammad Babandede, the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has said the Service would implement Federal Government’s directive on travel ban for passengers who fail to carry out day-7 COVID-19 test.
Babandede disclosed this at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja on Tuesday.
“It’s clear to everybody that the future of travel is health.
“The next visa for global travel is health, especially the COVID-19 certificate.
“I can assure you that you may not be able to cross Nigerian borders without the vaccine certificate or your COVID-19 test.
“Also, it’s our duty to implement the directive of Mr President, the powers are enshrined in the Immigration Act, the Constitution and from the regulation for COVID-19.
“The powers are there to restrict the person that has refused to comply with any regulation.
“This is because lack of compliance to COVID-19 regulations is a threat to public health,” Babandede said.
According to Babandede, public health is a big issue in the country, and so, based on that directive, we have complied by blocking 100 passports from travelling out of Nigeria.
“This will also include non-Nigerians; we’ve the powers to revoke visas, even the Controller-General has the power to revoke visas.
“So, based on the powers given and an additional condition for entering Nigeria today, you must have COVID-19 test result, we’ll make you comply.
“You must have evidence of payment. If you do the test, it means you’ve complied.
“If you haven’t done the test, it means you’ve violated the condition of entering the country; your visa will be revoked,” he said.
Badandede added,” Please comply; immigration has no business with anybody; we are implementing the directives handed down to us.”