Metro

Like Namibia, others, Nigeria lifts compulsory PCR tests for fully vaccinated travellers

Published

1 year ago

March 22, 2022

Nigeria has joined other African countries that have lifted Covid-19 compulsory tests for fully vaccinated inbound travellers, the Federal Government said on Monday.

The government of Nigeria says travellers are no longer required to take a pre-departure PCR COVID-19 test but would be subjected to a rapid antigen test at the airport by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) within the arrival hall of the airport free of charge.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha made the disclosure at a National briefing of the Committee in Abuja.

He said, “The PSC has reviewed these situations around the world and applies such to the situation in Nigeria and have revised the International Travel Protocols, which should come into effect on Monday, 4th April, 2022 as follows.”

“Inbound (fully vaccinated) passengers arriving in Nigeria will no longer be required to take a pre-departure PCR COVID-19 Test.”

“On arrival, for fully vaccinated passengers, a sample will be taken at the airport for rapid antigen test by the NCDC within the arrival hall of the airport.”

Other African countries in recent weeks also announced major developments regarding situations surrounding Covid-19. Earlier this month, slamreportafrica.com reported that major cities in Morrocco are now rated green. Last week, we also reported a presidential declaration in Namibia that wearing protective face masks in public and negative PCR tests for vaccinated visitors are no longer required.

In South Africa however, the country with the most Covid-19 cases and casualties in Africa with over 3.5 million confirmed cases have, Universities have announced that unvaccinated students and staff can only access online learning.

Back to Nigeria, passengers who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, according to Mr. Mustapha “shall take a COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours before departure, or do a Day 2 and day 7 test on arrival. Such passengers will be expected to pay for their PCR tests through the travel platform”

“Fully vaccinated passengers will not be charged for arrival rapid antigen tests at the airport”

“Rules that apply to fully vaccinated adults also apply to children aged 10 – 18 years; they will not be required to have pre-arrival PCR tests but will have a sample taken at the arrival hall but not charged”

According to Reuters, Nigeria reports 21 new infections on average each day with the highest daily average reported on December 27. There have been 255,103 infections and 3,142corona virus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began.

Metro

Rwandan President, Kagame sacks over 200 military personnel in major shake-up

Published

19 hours ago

June 7, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Rwandan President, Paul Kagame has sacked over 200 soldiers including top military brass and commanders from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) in a massive shake-up.

The dismissed officers include the former Commander of the Reserve Forces, Maj. Gen. Aloys Muganga, and Brig. Gen. Francis Mutiganda, a former Head of External Security in the National Intelligence Services, as well as 14 senior officers.

The announcement of the sacking of the officers which was contained in a statement released by the RDF on Wednesday, did not give reason for the sackings, but the move come a day after the president reshuffled the top echelon of the country’s military, which saw the firing of the Defence Minister and an Army Chief.

The sacking of the soldiers has further heightened tension between Rwanda and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, with each side accusing the other of working with rebels to topple one another’s governments, according to reports in local media.

Metro

UN war crimes court declares Rwandan genocide suspect, Felicien Kabuga unfit to stand trial

Published

20 hours ago

June 7, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

An 88-year-old Rwandan genocide suspect, Felicien Kabuga has been declared unfit to stand trial by judges at a United Nations War Crimes Court in The Hague.

In a decision published by the court on Wednesday, the judges acknowledged that Kabuga was no longer able to actively participate in his trial, and rather proposed an alternative process that aims to resemble a trial but does not allow for a conviction instead of stopping the proceedings completely.

“The trial chamber finds Mr. Kabuga is no longer capable of meaningful participation in his trial,” the publication said.

“The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, therefore, finds that Mr. Kabuga is not fit for trial and is very unlikely to regain fitness in the future.

“It is therefore agreed to adopt an alternative finding procedure that resembles a trial as closely as possible, but without the possibility of a conviction,” it added.

Kabuga who was arrested in Paris where he had been in hiding under a false identity for several years, was one of the most wanted suspects of the Rwandan genocide, and was charged at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda with genocide and crimes against humanity.

At his initial arraignment in September last year, the ICC heard that Kabuga was alleged to have been the main financier of the ethnic Hutu militias who slaughtered over 800,000 minority Tutsis as well as political opponents during the genocide in 1994.

According to the UN, Kabuga, a wealthy businessman from the Hutu ethnic group, had established and financed an infamous media outfit, Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), which was notorious for inciting violence and promoting the targeting and elimination of individuals from the Tutsi ethnic group who were referred to as “Cockroaches”.

Kabuga was arrested in Paris in 2020 after decades on the run and sent for trial in The Hague where he pleaded not guilty to charges of sponsoring the infamous Hutu radical radio station urging people to kill Tutsi “cockroaches”.

He also denied supplying machetes and supporting the murderous Interahamwe Hutu militia.