FILE Photo: MURTALA MUHAMMED AIRPORT 2, LAGOS

Nigerian government on Saturday announced the closure of Abuja and Lagos airports to international flights as part of measures to stop spread of Coronavirus into the country.

This essentially means all airports in the country have will be closed to International traffic.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA had earlier closed all other airports in the country, leaving only Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, open to receive international flights effective from Saturday, 21, March.

But in a statement on Saturday,  NCAA directed all airports not to receive any international flights except from emergency and essential flights from Monday, 23 March.

The Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, confirmed the development in a letter addressed to all airlines’ Country Managers dated March 21 with Ref: NCAA/DG/AlR/ll/16/106.

Nuhu explained in a statement that henceforth, all airports in Nigeria were closed to all incoming international flights with the exception of emergency and essential flights.

The subject of the letter was an “Update on clarification on flight restriction into Nigeria due to COVID-19 pandemic”.

He said: “Further to our earlier letter on restriction of international flights into Nigeria, we wish to inform you that effective March 23 at 23:00 to April 23 at 23:00.

“The Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja (DNAA) will be closed to all International flights.

“Emergency and essential flight operations are however exempted from this restriction.

“This is in addition to the closure of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu; and Port-Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa; effective on March 21 at 23:00.”

Nuhu said domestic flights would continue normal operations at all the airports in the country.

He said all airlines were required to submit passenger manifest to Port Health Authorities prior to arrival of flights into Nigeria, adding that they should be guided accordingly.