In what appears to be a move to avert a diplomatic row between the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Nigeria, the two countries on Tuesday, announced a reversal of the travel bans imposed on air passengers and other travellers from Nigeria. While the United Kingdom removed Nigeria from the red list of countries whose nationals were banned from entering Britain following the discovery of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, the UAE also yesterday lifted the ban it placed on flights originating from Nigeria from entering Dubai. Making the announcement yesterday, the United Kingdom said Nigeria and 10 other countries will be removed from its travel red list from 4am on Wednesday.
The move follows anger from Nigeria and other African countries, with the United Nations describing the ban on non-UK residents entering England as travel apartheid. The British government had on December 4 placed Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe on its travel ban following the outbreak of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. It said the red list was reintroduced as a precaution after the emergence of the Omicron variant. The UK government had said the ban would be reviewed on December 20, but announcing the new development on Tuesday, the UK Health Secretary, Sajid Javid said the Omicron had spread so widely that the rules are now less effective. “Now that there is community transmission of Omicron in the UK and Omicron has spread so widely across the world, the travel red list is now less effective in slowing the incursion of Omicron from abroad,” he told the parliament.
“Whilst we will maintain our temporary testing measures for international travel, we will be removing all 11 countries from the travel red list effective from 4am tomorrow morning,” he added. Javid said he had asked for urgent advice on whether those currently in managed quarantine would be able to leave early, adding also said he was very persuaded by calls to reimburse people and hoped to make an announcement soon. Meanwhile, the federal government has welcomed the removal of Nigeria from the list of countries banned from operating flights into Britain as a result of the outbreak of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus in those countries. The government’s position was expressed by the Director of Public Affairs, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Dr. James Odaudu. He said the ministry had yet to receive any official communication from Britain on the withdrawal of Nigeria from the red list. Odaudu said, “The news of the withdrawal of Nigeria from the red list is a welcome development. It is a relief to the aviation industry. However, we have yet to receive any official communication from Britain on the new development.”
Also, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday conceded seven slots to Air Peace, while further granting the Nigerian carrier the permit to fly directly to Dubai instead of Sharjah Airport, a source said. But, the government said it was unaware of the alleged stoppage of Nigerians by the UAE from entering any part of the Emirates through other carriers. According to sources, the General Civil Aviation Authority sent a December 13, 2021 letter to Air Peace. Although the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not copied in breach of protocol, the federal government was said to have received the letter.