Saudi Arabia Bars Nigerian Flights Over Omicron

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has suspended flights from Nigeria due to the new Coronavirus variant, Omicron.

Earlier on Wednesday, there were unconfirmed reports that preparations were underway to repatriate Nigerians in the Kingdom over Omicron.

However, several sources in the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Kano, as well as officials at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), confirmed that there was an order to restrict flights from Nigeria over Omicron.

Since the Kingdom lifted the ban on Nigerian flights, many people, especially from Kano, have visited the country for lesser Hajj, while others were waiting for scheduled dates to travel.

But an official of the Saudi Consulate in Kano, who chose not to be named, said there was an order to restrict Nigerian flights in order to check the spread of Omicron in the Kingdom.

An official at the Kano Airport also confirmed that a circular had been issued that all lesser Hajj trips should be cancelled due to the development.

“Yes, it is true because a circular was issued that all Lesser Hajj flights should be cancelled and there will be no more flights from Nigeria until further notice.

“I think they are following the decision of other countries like the UK to prevent the virus from entering the Kingdom,” the source said.

However, one of the top airline operators said he could not confirm the development as two flights, Qatar and Badar Air, left Abuja for Jeddah on Wednesday morning.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia later confirmed the flight suspension in a circular to all airlines operating in the Kingdom.

Nigeria currently has six confirmed cases of the Omicron virus.

The Federal Government had rejected the ban imposed on Nigeria by the UK and Canada over Omicron.