Outgoing Nigerian Diplomat To T&T Against Travel Ban To His Country

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Outgoing Nigerian Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Musa John Jen, has expressed disappointment that his country had been placed on a travel ban by some Caribbean countries, including Trinidad and Tobago because of fears of the deadly Ebola virus. 

“There hasn’t been a single Ebola outbreak in Nigeria. I am leaving for Nigeria with my family this weekend,” he said.

“If there is a threat…I mean I would be the last person to carry my family back after six years and some months in Trinidad. I still have one year to go but I have decided I will go back to Nigeria and contest governorship position and I have resigned and I am leaving this weekend,” the Nigerian diplomat said on radio here.

Last week, Port of Spain included Nigeria along with the West African countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone with a travel ban because of the deadly Ebola virus that has so far killed nearly 5,000 people.

The government also said that Trinidad and Tobago nationals who either visited the countries or work there would be placed in quarantine for 21 days on arrival here.

But the diplomat insisted that his country was free from the virus, adding “I don’t think I would carry my family and endanger their lives if there is Ebola in Nigeria”.

He said Trinidad and Tobago should follow the example of China during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak.

“China developed a system during the days when there was a SARS outbreak…we have this in Nigeria right now in every point of entry…but of course that it is not within my power to dictate to the government what it should do”.