Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Nigerian government to take immediate and patriotic measures to safeguard Nigerians against the Coronavirus pandemic.
In a released statement, Atiku emphasized the urgency of actions such as imposing restrictions on flights from countries with Coronavirus outbreaks.
Read the statement below
Two weeks ago, when Nigeria recorded its first case of the coronavirus, I urged the Federal Government to restrict flights from nations with a high prevalence of the Coronavirus plague. This aligns with global best practices.
This is a patriotic appeal to the Federal Government of Nigeria to take all necessary steps to protect the citizens, by temporarily halting flights to and from such countries until we enhance our capability to contain the coronavirus. However, Nigerian citizens, regardless of their status, should still be allowed to enter the country.
Despite the commendable efforts of our dedicated health officials, it is important to note that we have yet to identify or locate multiple passengers who arrived with the index case from Italy. They could be located anywhere. Therefore, we must exercise caution. We cannot afford to increase the risk of future infections.
The potential economic impact of a widespread spread of the virus in Nigeria would be catastrophic and would have implications for our national security and our status as Africa’s leading economy. We must not allow the devastating effects of this pandemic, officially classified as a global pandemic, to further strain our already fragile economy.
I urge everyone to put aside any political or other differences. On this issue, I am a Nigerian first and foremost, and I am willing to collaborate with anyone, at any time, at any cost, to ensure the safety of our country, the only place we call home, and its people.
We must take action now. Nigeria and its citizens must be our top priority. Our national policies must be intentionally designed to safeguard our most valuable national resource – the Nigerian people.
May Nigeria be blessed by God.