Nigerian Government extends flight ban by four weeks

The Nigerian Government has extended the flight ban across the country by four weeks to curb the spread of coronavirus, according to a news report by Daily Trust.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, Presidential Task Force on coronavirus, Boss Mustapha, said this in Abuja on May 6 at a briefing of the committee.

"We've assessed the situation in the aviation industry and have come to the conclusion that given the facts available to us and based on the advice of experts, the ban on all flights will be extended for an additional four weeks," Mustapha said.

He appealed to state governors to align their plan for the movement of Almajirai. "With the ban imposed by the president. We shall intensify our dialogue on this matter."

He said the early assessment of the ease of lockdown phase indicated that Nigerians were yet to come to terms with the deadliness and the virulent nature of the coronavirus.

He expressed concern over non-compliance to physical distancing guidelines. "Evidenced by higher than the advised congregation of people in banks, traffic gridlocks, especially at entry, points to metropolitan areas and disregard of guidelines on carrying capacity of motor vehicles and increased level of inter-state movements worsened by the dubious concealment of people in food carrying vehicles," Mustapha said.