FG Lifts Suspension On Emirates Flights

Minister of Aviation, Senator. Hadi Sirika, said the ban was lifted after “painstaking negotiations” with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Emirate’s home country.

Nigeria had barred Emirates flights over discriminatory policy on Nigerians as regards to COVID-19 protocols by the UAE.

Briefing journalists late Friday, Sirika said UAE has removed the restrictions without conditions, hence Nigeria reciprocated the gesture by lifting the ban on Emirates.

The Minister assured that the relationship between Nigeria and UAE remains strong.

“Today, we received communication from UAE removing some of the conditions of travel of which we had concerns about. Having done so, we feel we should lift the ban on the suspension of Emirates,” he said.

He said from Friday, all the impediments on Emirates had been lifted.

At the briefing, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, noted that the Nigerian Government recognises that the UAE has a responsibility to protect the lives of her citizens thus whatever measures that they had taken was for the interest of her citizens.

He said the negotiation was balanced and it was a win-win for both countries.