Lagos threatens to prosecute Hajj returnees over seven-day compulsory isolation

As part of the efforts to mitigate the third wave of the COVID-19 in Lagos, the state government has placed 14 countries on watch list.

It also said Nigerian passengers coming from lesser hajj must undergo seven-day isolation.

The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, at a briefing on Wednesday, said the state was committed to strictly enforcing COVID-19 travel protocols, especially for travelers coming into the state.

He explained that Lagos inbound international travellers were being classified into three on the basis of their originating countries: “the Red Countries, the Amber Countries and the Green Countries.”

According to him, India, Brazil and Turkey where new variants of COVID-19 originated from and are rapidly increasing especially in the past seven days are classified as the Red Countries, while the Amber Countries are countries currently experiencing active community transmission of the new variants, which originated from the Red Countries.

The commissioner added that the Green Countries were countries with no known variants of COVID-19 or records of variants from Red Countries and no clear increase in the number of daily confirmed cases.

Abayomi listed the 14 countries that form the Amber Countries to include Canada, USA, France, Germany, Netherlands, Togo, Ghana, Cameroun, Angola, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, adding that the state government would closely monitor inbound flights from the Red and Amber Countries.

He said, “Our protocol for management of inbound passengers from the Red Countries will include; a mandatory PCR test 72 hours before departure, PCR test post-arrival and a 14-day isolation in a government approved facility paid for by the passenger.

“Passengers from the 14 countries are also required to do a PCR test 72 hours before departure, PCR test post arrival and a mandatory seven days isolation at home which will be monitored by our logistics, surveillance and EkoTELEMED team.

“Nigerians returning from lesser hajj will have to undergo a compulsory seven-day self-isolation.

“The state will not hesitate to prosecute anyone, irrespective of status, who fails to comply with the directive.”

The commissioner said passengers from India, Turkey and Brazil were required to pre-register and fill a travel registration form on the Federal Government’s COVID-19 travel portal and pre-book for a PCR test and isolation accommodation.

Abayomi also said the governor had recently passed into law the Lagos State Coronavirus Pandemic Law 2021, which gave him the right to order a quarantine and sanction anyone who flouted the law.