FG begins manhunt for passengers who escaped quarantine 

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC) has disclosed that a manhunt has begun for passengers who returned from countries where a new travel bann was introduced and had escaped quarantine facility for prosecution.

Chairman of PSC on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, made this disclosure yesterday  at a media briefing.

Following concerns about rising cases of COVID-19 cases and fatalities  in India, Brazil and Turkey, The Federal Government had issued a travel advisory on international flights coming from these countries.

Mustapha said: “As you are all aware, the PSC has already issued a travel advisory which took into consideration, the utility of travel restrictions, outcomes of epidemiological risk assessment, factors that aid transmission as well as control measures that could be deployed. In the Advisory, additional requirements were placed on passengers from India, Turkey and Brazil. 

“The PSC has received reports of some returning foreign passengers who violated the mandatory quarantine requirement under the advisory by escaping from the facilities. We deprecate such violation of the laws of our land and our hospitality. The PSC is awaiting the report of on-going investigations and we wish to assure Nigerians that appropriate sanctions would be imposed on the violators.”

He reiterated that PSC continues to watch with focus and concern the unprecedented rising cases of infection and fatalities caused by variants of concern in a number of jurisdictions around the world. 

He said the committee continues to rely on data, science and experiences around the world to establish the basis for steps to be taken to strengthen the National Response programme.

Mustapha said: “Since the last national briefing on April 26, 2021 the PSC has also received the expression of genuine concerns by experts, international organisations, the Africa CDC, Nigerians and other friendly nations over these developments. It has also, on the merit, assessed the situation in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the USA with a view to preventing importation of the variants of concern.”