Bahrain’s Ebola travel ban on Nigeria ‘still active’

Bahrain is yet to lift the travel ban it imposed on on Nigerians, despite the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s declaration of Nigeria as an Ebola-free country more than a month ago.

Earlier in November, Sadiq Al Shehabi, Bahrain’s health minister, said the country had given clearance to Nigerians to travel freely after the visit of WHO experts.

Nigeria was declared Ebola-free on October 20, 42 days after the discharge of its last Ebola suspect, seeing there was no new case within two times the 21-day window period of the viral disease.

WHO officials visited Bahrain to assess the country’s readiness to fight the deadly virus, leading to the initial removal of the travel ban placed on Nigeria as an Ebola-affected nation.

However, one Nigerian citizen living in Bahrain has said the reality in the country contradicts the minister’s claims to the press, saying he would still be unable to return to Bahrain if he left for Nigeria.

“As per the minister’s statement in the press, the health ministry has given clearance to all Nigerians and they can travel home to their country and can return to Bahrain without any hindrance after the country was declared Ebola-free by the WHO in October.

“The situation on the ground seems to contradict the minister’s statement and we hope authorities will consider our plight sympathetically, as it is very uncertain.”

According to Trade Arabia, the 30-year-old, who has been in Bahrain for four years, said he was due to go on holiday for the first time in three years on December 1.

“In my attempts to travel home on December 1, I approached the immigration authorities at both the airport and their headquarters and was told that if I travelled, I would not be allowed to return,” he said.

“I also know of cases of Nigerians currently residing in Bahrain who applied for their families to join them after the publication of the lifting of the ban, but have had their visa applications rejected on health grounds.

“Also, another resident who recently secured a new job and wants to transfer his visa had his application rejected even after the previous visa was cancelled by his former employer.”

Al Shebabi has however opened up, saying that the final decision on granting entry to Nigerians was being awaited from the cabinet.

“We hope that the file, which has been cleared from the health ministry and is at present with the foreign affairs ministry, will be discussed in the next cabinet session,” he said.

Bahrain is an oil-rich island country locked between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and has been ruled by the monarchical Khalifa family since 1783.