Visiting Turkish President’s delegation subjects Nigerians to compulsory COVID-19 test
Nigerians who are interested in attending some of the events line up for Turkish President, Recep Erdoğan, in Abuja, will have to undergo a compulsory COVID-19 test supervised by a Turkish delegation in the nation’s capital territory.
The mandatory test, at only the designated place, Fraiser Suites, Abuja, where there are dozens of government accredited COVID-19 test centres in the city, has sparked concerns of seeming loss of confidence in the Nigerian health system by the Turkish authorities.
It was gathered that Nigerian journalists invited to cover the inauguration of a Turkish cultural centre in Abuja on Wednesday, were told to go for the test as only those who scaled through the hurdle would be allowed at the event.
“This is not good for the image of this country, it means they have doubts about Nigeria’s COVID-19 test. Will the Turkish authorities allow Nigerians to do same thing in their country?” A man, who claimed to be one of the invited guests to the Turkish event, queried.
When contacted, the organiser of the event, Anna Dudina, Administrative Assistant of the centre, said the mandatory test is a requirement of the Turkish President delegation even if one is vaccinated against the virus.
He said : “Covid-19 test has to be done for all our guests (vaccinated and not vaccinated) without any exceptions this is the requerment of deligation (sic) of Turkish president and his Excellency Recep Tayip Erdogan. If by any reason invited person is not able to do Covid-19 test he won’t be allowed to attend Innaguration of Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center.”
The Turkish President, who commenced his three-nation Africa’s tour on Sunday, is visiting Nigeria for the second time after he was first received in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Nigeria is Turkey’s top trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa with a trading volume of $754 million in 2020, which is expected to rise to more than $1 billion.
Erdoğan is expected to sign some business deals with the Nigerian government as well as made a strong request for transfer of schools being run by associates of his former ally and United States- based Islamic cleric, Fethullah Gülen, to the Turkish Maarif Foundation.
The Turkish president, who has since begun massive crackdown targeting people linked to Gülen, accused the Muslim preacher of inciting a failed coup in 2016.
PlatinumPost recalls that following serious pressure from the government, the schools run by the Gulen’s supporters in the country changed names from Nigerian Turkish International Colleges to Nigerian Tulip International Colleges as well as Nigerian Turkish Nile University to Nile University, Abuja.
Analysts and international rights organisations, have, however, accused Erdoğan of high-handeness in his crackdown on opposition
