Coronavirus: FG will shut Lagos, Abuja airports, says Sirika

Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, says the two major airports in the country – Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja – will be shut “sooner than later”.

Speaking with state house correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, Sirika said this would help in checking the spread of coronavirus.

He said although the presidential task force on COVID-19 is in the best position to announce any action regarding that, he spoke in his personal capacity.

Sirika is a member of the task force chaired by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation.

“Well I think differently, this is my individual perspective. At some points, these airports must be closed. This is my opinion. But like I said, there is Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 of which I am a member,” he said.

“But certainly and definitely at some point, these airports must be closed (Abuja and Lagos), all of them in Nigeria will be closed. I think it is the safest thing to do because these things multiply exponentially.

“But for a better brief, I think we have the forum, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, they will come up with a statement. But I can guarantee you that, sooner than later the airports will be be closed. We would close down these airports and we would issue the necessary notices to airmen as to what time they would be closed.

“I think it will be very soon. It is better safe than sorry and I think in my opinion, this is my personal opinion, if you want to catch a fish empty the water.”

The federal government had earlier shut the airports in Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.