Chinedu Eze
About 35 American oil workers were denied entry into Cross River State by the state government after their arrival into the country with a chartered flight from the United States, THISDAY has learnt.
THISDAY gathered that the Cross River Government insisted that the Americans must be tested for COVID-19 locally before they would be allowed into the state.
According to the itinerary of the workers, they arrived Nigeria by charter flight with flight number FLT AIR X CHARTER LTD/9H-BIG/AXY2929/A 343.
But on their arrival yesterday morning by 7:26 am, the charter flight from Lagos to Calabar arranged with Air Peace did not take place because Cross River State refused them entry and insisted that they must be tested for COVID-19 in Nigeria before they would be allowed to come into the state.
THISDAY learnt that they stayed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport until Air Peace decided to take them to Abuja and made arrangement for hotel accommodation for them.
THISDAY learnt earlier that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was duly notified at their arrival.
This was confirmed by the Director of Consumer Protection, NCAA, Mr. Adamu Abdillahi.
