Coronavirus: Buhari Closes Three International Airports

• Coronavirus: Buhari Closes Three International Airports

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday ordered the immediate closure of three international airports as Nigeria battles the coronavirus pandemic.

The three airports are Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano, Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu and the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.

While Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja would be opened for operations.

According to Capt. Musa Nuhu, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the directive would take effect from March 21, 2020, until further notice.

President Muhammadu Buhari had restricted flights from 13 countries considered high-risk nations earlier this week and ordered all the schools in the nation to be shut down as the number of confirmed cases rose above 11.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday warned that pace of spread has increased and put the total number of infected people above 239,000 with over 10,000 deaths globally.

On Thursday, Air Canada announced it was laying off over 5,000 flight attendants as most routes have been closed amid global pandemic.