As evacuation flights begin air-lifting Nigerian ladies trapped in Saudi Arabia, the trafficked victims affected have asked the Nigerian Government to wave the COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction repeat test fee. They would also be expected to make an online payment of around N50,000 for a repeat test to be conducted in Nigeria.
Abdulaziz said the second batch of ladies to be evacuated, who left on Saturday, had to pay 550 riyals – N55,865 for emergency tests to fulfill the NCDC’s travel conditions. “It’s like the Nigerian Government is asking them to pay everything they have worked for just to come back, it is not fair on these ladies,” he said.
Head of operations at anti-trafficking advocacy, NGO Hopes Haven, Damilola Adekola, said the Nigerian Government should consider making the repeat test free for those registered as victims of trafficking. Although airlines are now willing to evacuate stranded Nigerians from the kingdom, many employers are still holding on to their Nigerian housemaids, saying Saudi airports were not open to international flights.