No enough places to isolate Nigerians returning from abroad — FG

https://ift.tt/2VwojIG

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, says the number of Nigerians willing to return from abroad is so high that they cannot be accommodated in the available isolation centres in the country.

He said this in Abuja yesterday at a briefing of the Presidential Taskforce Force on COVID-19.

“We’ve received all the numbers from our various embassies around the world and we’re collating them. Then we’ve now selected two airlines that would be responsible to fetch them. The numbers are high and the places where we can isolate them are not enough for those numbers.

“So, we would’ve to do it in a staggered fashion and together with the NEMA and the Ministry of Health, we would’ve to come to an agreement to be bringing (them) back according to the numbers of beds and so forth that are available. We’ve now identified and we can go on with process. We are almost ready to go,” Onyeama said.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, urged Nigerians to report any perceived illegal entry into the country through the nation’s borders, to the Nigeria Immigration Service.

He also urged the states sharing borders with other countries like Lagos, Sokoto, Cross Rivers, Zamfara, Taraba, Kebbi, Niger and others to ensure that the boarders were closely monitored so as not to allow any aliens into the country at this period to stem the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.