TheCable

The federal government has barred international flights coming into Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) disclosed this in a statement signed by Musa Nuhu, NCAA director general, on Saturday.

“Further to our earlier letter on restriction of international flights into Nigeria, we wish to inform you that effective Monday 23 March at 2300Z to 23 April at 2300z, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos (DNMM) and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja (DNAA) will be closed to international flights,” the statement read.

“This is in addition to the closure of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano (DNKN); Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu (DNEN); and Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa (DNPO) effective Saturday, 21 March at 2300Z.

“Henceforth, all airports in Nigeria are closed to all incoming international flights with the exception of emergency and essential flights.”

NCAA added that domestic flights would continue operations at all airports across the nation.

On Friday Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, had said the two major airports in the country – Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja – will be shut “sooner than later”.

“Well I think differently, this is my individual perspective. At some points, these airports must be closed. This is my opinion. But like I said, there is Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 of which I am a member,” he had said.

The federal government had initially placed a ban on flights from 15 countries, including UK, US, China and Italy.