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Diasporia News of Thursday, 21 May 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

509 returnees complete two-weeks quarantine

At least 509 returnees from the United Kingdom and Dubai have completed their two-weeks supervised quarantine period, according to the Federal Government.

The 509 persons are part of the first batch of 256 Nigerians evacuated from Dubai to Lagos State on May 6 and the second batch of 253 citizens repatriated from the UK to Abuja on May 8.

The returnees would now be safely transported to their respective states across the Federation on orders of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama,

Onyeama, on Thursday, said that directive was given to the Commissioners of Police in the two cities.

The minister, who disclosed this during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, said the Force bosses in the two places would give them “personalised passes” to travel to their states of domicile without having to encounter challenges with security operatives who are currently enforcing the ban on interstate movement in the country.

He said, “As they’ve come to the end of the 14 days quarantine, I spoke to the Inspector-General of Police and he was very helpful because some of them will have to travel across state lines and that has been a source of concern for them.

“But the IG of Police has directed the Commissioners of Police of the two cities which they are located – that is Abuja and Lagos – to receive them individually and give them personalised passes and phone numbers that they can reach if they have any problems at any of the borders going home. We are hopeful that they will not have any issues as they go back.”

Nigeria has evacuated another batch of 160 evacuees from the US to Abuja on May 10, as well as 292 citizens from Saudi Arabia to Abuja on May 19.