Ebola: Gambia national flyer barred from Nigeria

TFrom Chris Agabi, Lagos

he Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has barred the Gambian national carrier, the Gambian Bird from flying to Nigeria over unsatisfactory procedure to prevent Ebola virus from spreading to Nigeria.

NCAA in a letter dated August 8, 2014 and signed by its acting Director General, Benedict Adeyileka, said the Gambian Bird has not met with the minimum standard procedure in screening its passengers to ensure infected persons were not been flown to Nigeria.

The letter read in part: “NCAA has reviewed the measures put in place by your airline as contained in your letter of 30th July, 2014 and has found these measures unsatisfactory. Consequently, your fights to Nigeria have been temporarily suspended with immediate effect until such a time that you are able to put in place acceptable and satisfactory measures.”

The regulatory body reminded the airline that all ports of entry into Nigeria, including airports, seaports and land borders have been placed on red alert so as to prevent the spread of the virus to the country.

“Part of the efforts put in place by NCAA was to direct all airlines operating in Nigeria from Guinea, Free Town and Monrovia to put in place adequate measures to ensure that passengers with this disease were not boarded and brought into the country. Such measures may include suspension of flights to these countries,” the letter said.

“You will recall that a Liberian citizen who arrived Lagos from Monrovia, Liberia via Togo eventually died,” NCAA added.