Following the sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the country, the Federal Government has announced that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja will be closed to all International flights effective from Monday, March 23.
The development is contained in a statement signed by the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Musa Nuhu, The Punch reports.
The closure of international flight operations at the Lagos and Abuja airports is in addition to the three other international airports in Kano, Enugu and Port Harcourt shut for flight operations on Saturday.
Nuhu said the closure would last till April 23, adding that emergency and essential flights would be operated from both airports within the period.
He said the measure is expedient due to the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic which increased geometrically from 12 to 22 cases on Saturday.
Nuhu, however, noted that domestic flight operations would continue normally in all airports in the country.
Similarly, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Saturday also announced the shutting down of all passenger train services in the country.
The suspension will also take effect from Monday, March 23, 2020.
A statement issued by Spokesman of the NRC, Mr. Yakub Mahmood said that the board and management of the corporation approved the shut down as part of the measures being taken by the Federal Govt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
“Further information on passengers’ train services will be made available in due course to our esteemed passengers,” the statement also said.
