Nigeria closes all airports to international flights

The Nigerian Government on Saturday announced that all airports in the country will be closed to prevent further spread of coronavirus.

“Following the announcement of 10 new cases of COVID-19, Nigeria government announced the closure of all the country’s airports to all international flights as part of the measures to curb spread of the disease,” Nigerian government tweeted.

“This measure will take effect from 23 March, 2020.”

Major airports like those in Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja are closed to international flights.

Cases of coronavirus in Nigeria rose to 22 after 10 new ones were confirmed. 16 of the 22 cases were confirmed in Lagos State. Three cases were confirmed in Abuja, one case in Ekiti and two in Ogun State.

The government had on Friday, March 20 shut down three international airports to curb the spread of the global pandemic in the country.

The airports are Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, Kano, Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu and the Port Harcourt Airport, Rivers.

Nigeria also placed a travel restriction on 13 countries with more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus.

The banned countries are the United State of America, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, Iran, Switzerland, Norway, Netherland, France, South Korea, Germany, Italy and Spain. Austria and Sweden were added to the list on Friday.

Nigeria’s visa on arrival policy has also been suspended by the government.

Majority of Nigerian states have shut schools and placed bans on religious and social gathering to curb coronavirus.