424 stranded Nigerians in Saudi return, protest against quarantine

About 424 stranded Nigerians in Saudi Arabia who arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on Friday protested against 14 day-quarantine imposed on them by the Federal Government.

The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said that the returnees came in via Saudi Arabia Airline SV-3413 around 12 noon.

She explained that the returnees would proceed on the mandatory 14 days quarantine and appealed to Nigerians to desist from illegal migration.

It was learnt that the returnees resisted officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and other agencies at the NAIA who tried to persuade them to observe the COVID-19 protocol.

They resisted being quarantined, arguing that they had negative test results for COVID-19.

“Some of them are insisting that they have negative COVID-19 test results, but that is not what we are saying. The rule and standard protocol is that they should be quarantined for 14 days,” a FAAN official said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had disclosed on Wednesday that 802 Nigerians would return from Saudi Arabia on Thursday and Friday.

It said the citizens who were held at various detention centres over immigration issues would be received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by its officials.

FAAN spokesperson at the NAIA, Voke Ivbaze, insisted that it was the standard procedure for  travellers from foreign nations to be quarantined for 14 days and wondered why the returnees would oppose the move.