By Victoria Ojeme
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada has called for removal of recent restrictions placed on Nigerians intending to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the outbreak of the Omicron Variant of COVID 19 across the globe.
Ambassador Dada made the call when he met with the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Faisal bin Ebraheem Al-Ghamdi in his office Abuja.
Ambassador Zubairu Dada appealed to the Saudi Authority to as a matter of urgency review the travel restrictions it placed on Nigerians over the Omicron outbreak as already done by many countries who have earlier banned Nigeria but have since reversed their stands having studied the achievements of Nigeria so far in the fight against the Omicron Variant and the Corona Virus Pandemic in general.
Ambassador Zubairu Dada, although Nigeria had understood fully the reason for the ban by Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was for the best interest of its citizens, but that the steps taken so far by Nigeria Authorities to curtail the spread of the Omicron Variant have made it possible for many countries to consider Nigeria safe and removed it from the blacklist countries.
He commended the cordial relationship that existed for years and continue to exist between the two countries.
In his response The Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Faisal bin Ebraheem Al-Ghamdi, expressed satisfaction with the effort the government is making to contain the spread of Omicron and promised to convey Nigeria’s message to the relant Authorities back home in Saudi Arabia.
He said just like in Nigeria where there are bodies in charge of monitoring and the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Saudi Arabia also has similar agencies that are responsible for monitoring and recommendations on the issues of corona.
Ambassador Al-Ghamdi thanked the Minister for his commitment towards improved bilateral relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
