Nigerian govt. declares Kano assembly speaker wanted for violating COVID-19 travel protocol

The Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Hamisu Chidari, is one of more than 200 travellers who were recently declared ‘wanted’ by the Nigerian government for allegedly violating new protocols put in place to halt the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Mr Chidari had reportedly returned to Nigeria via the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, from Saudi Arabia through an Ethiopian airline on May 17, 2021. He was, however, said to have reportedly presented a coronavirus test result “which was found to be fake” by the health authorities in Nigeria.

Sources who are privy to the development but declined to be quoted, described the speaker’s conduct as “embarrassing and condescending.”

A source said; “From the airport, he was conveyed to the National Women Development Centre along with others where they were expected to be observed for seven days before they could be certified to be free to mingle with Nigerians. And if otherwise, they could be referred for further procedures.

“But when the speaker got to the centre he said he did not like the place and offered to isolate himself at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja. But he never did. He betrayed the authority’s trust by escaping to unknown whereabouts since that day and so he couldn’t be observed.”

Mr Chidari, with passport number, B50022050, was listed as number 66 on the list of 132 violators which was released and publicised on Thursday by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19. The committee is headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

The committee had earlier on May 23 published the first batch of the list of violators containing 90 names. The list had included some Indians who were declared as uncategorised violators.