By Agbenu Oyale, Abuja
Over 2000 inbound travellers who refused to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine have heard their passports seized, the Federal government has said.
National incident manager of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC), Mukhtar Mohammed, confirmed this on Monday at a media briefing in Abuja saying the action followed the violation of COVID-19 protocols.
He said the surveillance systems have been improved at airports, seaports, and land borders.
“We have included the provision of quarantine for passengers who arrived from restricted countries, and people who evaded these protocols have been penalised by publishing their names, as well as by suspending their passports for one year.
“Let me assure you that so far, we have published the list of over 2,000 people who evaded quarantine in our health facilities. And we have gone ahead to ensure that their passports are suspended. So, for every action, certainly, there are consequences,” Mohammed said.
Passengers arriving from high-risk countries like South Africa, Brazil, India and Turkey are to embark on a mandatory 14-day quarantine in government-approved facilities.