By Ada Obeleagu, YeyeNews.com, December 8, 2021
President Buhari has pleaded with the British government to exempt him from the travel ban on travelers from some African countries including Nigeria to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. A presidential source told YeyeNews.com that top officials of the presidency immediately summoned the British High Commissioner to the Villa immediately the ban was announced.
“They summoned the High Commissioner and told him in no uncertain words that the UK government should exempt President Buhari from the ban so that he can travel to see his doctors in London”. When asked why the government did not intervene on behalf of all Nigerians, the source explained that “President Buhari is the priority. Whatever any other Nigerian want to travel to the UK for what can be sourced here at home. But the president’s case is different because he has been using the UK doctors since he was a boy”.
But Nigerians who have been prevented from traveling are calling on the UK government not to discriminate in implementing the travel ban if it must be enforced. “It is either everyone is allowed to travel or no one is allowed. Since the political class has failed to develop this country, let everyone face the brunt of the travel ban”, a stranded traveler told YeyeNews.com.
YeyeNews.com also gathered that President Buhari has reached out to the authorities of the UAE to assist in convincing the British government to allow him into the UK. The president reminded them that he has always adhered to COVID-19 protocol by wearing his mask at all times and keeping social distance, according to sources in the presidency. “We hope the intervention of our friends in the UAE will yield positive results. Though the UAE has volunteered their world class health facility but the president can not accept its use because he is already accustomed to London. So we are determined to use all diplomatic means to resolve this issue”.
