Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has explained why some countries are evacuating their citizens from the country.
Over 637 Europeans flew out of Nigeria and Benin Republic on Thursday.
It had led to speculation and panic among many.
However, at Friday’s press briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19 in Abuja, Onyeama explained that those who have left did so to make use of a health system they are familiar with.
The Minister also insisted that the move is not an indictment on Nigeria’s health system.
“It is basically a case where people are more familiar with the health system in their various countries and so prefer to go to the various countries so in the event that they might have to be confined, they would be in more familiar surroundings and they would also have access to medical practitioners and facilities that they are used to,” Onyeama said.
“So, that is really the reason. And you will find that a large number of those countries evacuating citizens, that their heads of mission and ambassadors and other staff are still here in Nigeria and there are no plans of leaving,” he added.