“The police kicked us off the plane making any other arrangements for us.”
In those words, one of the Nigerians who claimed to have been stranded in London, United Kingdom following the Covid-19 pandemic, told his story yesterday.
He said they were going to be evacuated to Nigeria, but said the airline that sent them replaced their minds at the last minute because “the pilot told us that the Nigerian government had denied him a landing permit.”
He quoted the pilot as saying that, in the first place, the landing permit had been granted.
The Nigerian did not say whether they had caused unrest on the aircraft after the flight stopped to justify being chased by police.
Another victim, recounting her ordeal, said she had to take off from Stansted airport when she was forced to disembark from the “Titan Airline” aircraft.
He said the flight was charged for takeoff on August 15 at 7 a.m., but rescheduled for 10 a.m. and then 1 p.m.
“The minimum amount paid through a passenger is 411,000 naira. The pilot told us that they (the Nigerian government) had denied him a landing permit, which he had been granted before,” he said.
“We were forced to pay the COVID-19 check in Nigeria after undergoing a check here in the UK. We were all forced to pay N50 400 for the check when we arrived in Nigeria. The passenger explained that the needs to board the aircraft include: the Nigerian passport, the result of the COVID-19 check and the payment of the COVID-19 check in Nigeria.
Last night, efforts to convince the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Nigerians of the Diaspora Commission to comment on the factor failed.
Sources from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), upon contact, said that all flight approvals to the country are controlled through the Minister of Aviation due to the emergency in the country.
But Aviation Minister James Odaudu’s spokesman told Vanguard on Sunday that he was unaware of the aborted flight from London to Nigeria.
Odaudu explained that the evacuation of Nigerians is controlled through the Foreign Ministry, however, he said the flight would possibly have run the luck because the airline involved did not adhere to due process to unload the landing permit.
Although Nigeria’s airspace remains closed to flights to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has made arrangements to evacuate Nigerians stranded abroad.
The national coordinator of the presidential race organization in Covid-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, announced a few weeks ago the resumption of the evacuation of stranded Nigerians.
According to Aliyu, the rules aim to “use limited resources and nigerians have returned home safely,” while mitigating dangers and ensuring infections remain under control.
The goal, according to Aliyu, is to evacuate a minimum of 1,000 Nigerians each week, eliminating the delay caused by the long interruption of the evacuation process. Those wishing to be evacuated must first register with Nigerian missions, which will coordinate the evacuation.
They are also expected to download a COVID-19 authorization that appears to be virus-free, while those who tested positive will not be allowed to board the evacuation flight. Verification must have been done less than 14 days before the flight or will be considered invalid.
Future evacuees must also express a commitment by committing to comply with the protective measures put in place, a condition for boarding.
Upon arrival in Nigeria, they will be asked to go through customs clearance at airports, while their passports are maintained through immigration authorities, pending the final results of the test of the moment.
Those who give positive will be taken as a remedy and those with negative controls will still have to isolate themselves for 14 days before being validated and will be allowed to take their passport and return home.
Future evacuees will pay prices for their accommodation in Abuja or Lagos during the two weeks before they are allowed to return home with their families.
However, those who live in the arrival areas (Lagos or Abuja) and can isolate themselves at home may do so under the strict supervision of the NCDC.
Aliyu added that priority will be given to those in difficult situations: “short-term visitors, those on medical trips, those on vacation, pregnant mothers and students.”
Foreground
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