COVID-19: 18% in-bound passengers to Lagos not traceable — Sanwo-Olu raises alarm

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said that about 18 per cent of passengers that arrived in Lagos through Murtala Mohammed Airport cannot be traced for their compulsory COVID-19 quarantine as was advised by the Federal Government.

The governor made the remark on Sunday while giving an update on the coronavirus pandemic situation in Lagos State as COVID:19 third upsurge looms.

Sanwo- Olu said between May 8, 2021, and July 7, 2021, a total of 50,322 passengers arrived in Lagos through the Murtala Mohammed Airport but they could not be traced.

”Of the 50,322 passengers, 18 per cent could not be reached by EKOTELEMED because of the provision of either wrong numbers or wrong Nigerian contact details to be reached on,” the Chief Incident Commander said.

He noted that it was the responsibility of every passenger to ensure that they provided the right details that would enable officials reach them for proper monitoring.

The governor vowed to sanction passengers who would subsequently violate the directive citing the fear emanating from the fresh rise in cases and deaths.

”Going forward, passengers that do not provide the right details, including a phone number they can be reached for monitoring and an address for isolation, will face serious sanctions, including fines and imprisonment according to our Lagos State Coronavirus Law of 2021.

”As dictated by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC), passengers from red-listed countries (India, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey) are required to observe mandatory isolation.