Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has condemned the red listing of Nigeria by the UK government over the two cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 found in the country.

At a news conference in Abuja, he described the decision as unjust and discriminatory. He therefore called on the UK government to rescind their decision immediately.

Lai Mohammed’s comments are the latest reaction to the red listing of Nigeria by the United Kingdom. Earlier, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, expressed disappointment over the United Kingdom government’s placement of Nigeria on its red list.

“We were not very happy when six countries in Sub-Saharan Africa were placed on a red list and the WHO also advised against putting each other on the red list,” Ehanire said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, less than one day after the UK announced the move.

“From what we know about the COVID-19, there are many ways to manage it, and besides, not much is still known about the Omicron variant. We know, for example, that there have been no fatalities.

“There have also been no reports of very severe illness. Actually, the rationale for being so hasty in putting countries on the red list is not something that is very helpful.”