The Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, (UK), Sarafa Ishola, has frowned at the UK government, for adding the nation to its red list of countries, banned from entry into the United Kingdom.
High Commissioner Sarafa Ishola, who spoke on BBC radio programme on Monday, described the recent travel ban imposed on the country as ‘apartheid’.
United Kingdom, on Saturday, December 4, 2021, announced that some African countries, including Nigeria, have been restricted entrance into its country because of the newly discovered Omicron virus.
UK government said this is with effect from Monday, December 6, 2021; but added that, with the ban, only UK residents, or citizens of the UK, can enter the UK from Nigeria.
Ambassador Sarafa Ishola, reacting to the development, considered it as ‘travel apartheid’.
He said, Omicron is classified as a mild variant, with no hospitalisation, or any death yet to be recorded in the country, which makes it quite different from the Delta variant.
The High Commissioner again emphasized that, because the world is dealing with a pandemic situation, UK has no reasons for the restriction, but rather, what is expected of UK is a global approach to the issue and not a selective approach.
Omicron variant of the ravaging Covid 19, was said to have started from South Africa. Since the discovery, a number of countries in Europe, have banned travelers from countries, especially from African nations.
“Condemn” …
That is the only thing he can do … when politicians rather than career diplomats are the one in charge of diplomatic relations, that is the nonsense you get!