By Bolaji Ogundele, Port Harcourt

Non-Nigerian travellers who had visited Brazil, India, Turkey or South Africa within 14 days preceding their travel to Nigeria would be denied entry into the country, the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) said on Wednesday.

The Committee also foreclosed free passage for Nigerians and those with permanent resident permit who visited any of the four countries within the 14 days preceding their trip to Nigeria.

They shall be compelled to undergo the seven-day mandatory quarantine in government approved facilities at the point-of-entry with such passengers picking the bills.

In a statement, PSC Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha rolled the rules in a revised provisional quarantine protocol that was issued specifically for the high burden countries.

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According to the statement, the protocol, which does not apply to passengers who transited through the aforementioned countries, comes into effect from tomorrow.

The PSC added that passengers from those countries will within 24 hours of arrival take a COVID-19 PCR test and shall be admitted in a government-approved treatment centre in line with the national treatment protocols.

Mustapha said in the statement: “If the test is negative, the passenger will continue to remain in quarantine and made to undergo a repeat PCR test on day-seven of their quarantine.”

He added that passengers that make false declaration or misleading contact information will be liable to prosecution while those who willfully disregard or refuse to comply with directions of port-health staff, security agencies or evade quarantine will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The statement further reads: “The revised response provisional quarantine protocol now requires in bound passengers to perform a COVID-19 PCR test not more than three days or 72 hours before boarding.

“A PCR test done more than 72 hours before departure is not valid and the person will not be allowed to board. A rapid antigen or antibody test is also not acceptable.”