The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 has described as double standards the United Arab Emirates enforcement of its COVID-19 protocol for visitors.

The PSC on Monday in Abuja said the UAE prevented Nigerians from travelling directly from their country to Dubai and UAE’s other cities.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known at a briefing by the committee.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UAE government allowed citizens of other countries, including Benin Republic and Ghana, to travel directly from their countries to Dubai, but disallowed Nigerian citizens.

Mr Sirika said the COVID-19 protocol set for Nigeria by the UAE was not the same as what the UAE announced for other nations, in spite Nigeria’s achievements in the fight against the virus.

According to him, investigations revealed that the protocol set for Nigeria was different from that of other West African nations.

He said that was the reason many Nigerians travelled through the country’s neighbours, Benin Republic and Ghana.

“Nigeria has no issue with Emirates, but against the preferential treatment,” he added.

Earlier, Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the PSC, said the federal government would continue to dialogue with representatives of the UAE on the issue.

Mr Mustapha said the protection of the interests of Nigerians remained the Nigerian government’s primary focus.