By Milton Tella – Nigerians have reacted angrily to the travel restrictions imposed by the UK government as a result of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, describing the action as discriminatory.
The UK Government has commenced travel ban on all non-UK citizens, non-Irish citizens and UK residents who have been in Nigeria in the last 10 days, meaning they are now refused entry into the United Kingdom. This travel ban does not apply to those who have stayed airside and only transited through Nigeria while changing flights.
Nigeria was added to the travel red list from 4am Monday, 6 December, following 21 cases of Omicron reported in England that are linked to travel from Nigeria.
The Nigeria High Commissioner to the UK, His Excellency, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola is leading the campaign asking the UK Government to lift the ban.
Ambassador Isola said, “The ban is travel apartheid in the sense that we are not dealing with an endemic. We are dealing with a pandemic. What is expected is a global approach, not selective. Whenever we have a challenge there must be collaboration.”
The Nigeria high commissioner to the UK, Ambassador Isola said, “l agree with the UN Secretary General. Antonio Guterres, who criticised measures imposed by UK against African countries as “travel apartheid.”
The UK Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said, “Travellers should not attempt to travel to the UK from a red list country without an Managed Quarantine Service (MQS) booking, as they will not be able to board a flight and could be subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice at the UK border. Our advice is to keep checking the CTM website as there are significant number of cancellations happening which will free up hotel rooms.
The Managed Quarantine Service has contracted several new hotels to enter service this week, in response to the likely numbers of UK residents who will want to travel from Nigeria before Christmas.”
Airlines are required to check for pre-departure tests alongside completed Passenger Locator Form, and passengers will not be allowed to board a flight without providing evidence of a negative test result.
Many Nigerians living in the UK and others arriving from Nigeria are currently stranded and experiencing hardship trying to return to the UK as the airlines, especially Virgin Atlantic and British Airways have refused to board passengers, who have no proof of payment for a dedicated quarantine hotel room, costing £2,285.00 for a 10 day stay.
Nigerians, who have had to pay up to return to the UK have expressed reactions to the conditions at some of the designated quarantine hotels.
Kunle Ola, a Nigerian, took to social media to expose the horrible condition they are staying in the hotel. He said, “We are being treated like prisoners. The facility called a hotel is more like a prison. You can’t go out and the food is bad,” he lamented.
Kunle advised that anyone trying to travel to Britain should change his or her mind now. Don’t come to Britain if you are coming from a red list country, please go to a none red list country. It is better to go elsewhere. The facility you will be placed here will affect your mental health.”
He is among a group of Nigerians who departed on 5 November when the country was not yet on the red list. The question they are asking is why they are required to quarantine when they departed before Nigeria was placed on the red list. Also, Kunle is wondering why those already double jabbed are being quarantined.”
Call for Shutdown of British Embassy in Nigeria
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has given the British High Commission in Nigeria a 72-hour ultimatum to revoke its decision during its protest at the British High Commission office in Lagos over the travel ban, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Kehinde Damilola, Chairman of NANS, Ogun Chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria during the protest that the association was not happy with the decision of the British government to place a ban on travellers from Nigeria.
“The decision is pure racism and an attempt to intimidate African countries, particularly Nigeria,” he claimed.
“We have come to say ‘enough is enough’ with the treatment Nigeria constantly receives from Europe. The narrative has to change because Nigerians are not a symbol of havoc or hazard.
“This decision will affect not only visitors but also our international students who are studying in the U.K.
“The Omicron variant did not emanate from Nigeria, neither do we have up to a dozen cases, so why should we be punished for it even over other European countries?” he said.
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