Dele Momodu criticizes ban on international flights, shutting down of Abuja, Lagos airports

Ovation magazine boss Dele Momodu has expressed displeasure at the Federal Government's decision to shut down Nigeria's major international airports.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) through its Director-General Musa Nuhu, announced that international flights have been barred from landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed Int'l Airport in Lagos.

Criticizing the decision, Dele Momodu stated that it would render many Nigerians in the diaspora stranded.

He wrote: "As always with us in Nigeria, we have once again seen the result of lack of preparation and coordination with the ill-informed and unnecessary decision to paralyse an entire nation and shut out all its citizens like orphans! I would have expected our leaders to give us comprehensive details of their plans instead of terse instructions. What's the purpose of saying no Nigerian can travel in or out of Nigeria from Monday for one month? So all Nigerians currently abroad who are not residing in those countries will suddenly become destitute when their finances run out. They must all abort their trips and return by tomorrow. And those foreigners already in Nigeria, plus investors or workers on temporary visits will be imprisoned here for one month. Who bears the costs? What about the thousands of jobs? Who will pay them or feed their families? We can do much better by making life easier for our people in these difficult times instead of complicating their lives and giving them mental anguish. Even in more advanced countries, there is always a method to madness. The closures are meticulously controlled and palliatives offered as incentives. All we are seeing here is so bizarre. Different Ministers issuing different directives without explaining how the people would not be made to suffer. As always, it is the poor that will bear the brunt of this total closure!!! Government should find ways of reducing the pains and this should be made public as soon as possible... Dele Momodu"