As domestic aviation travel commences this week, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that all governors, ministers, lawmakers and other VIPs should not be allowed to enter the airports with their non-travelling aides to minimize spread of Covid-19.

Aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this on Monday, stressing that this directive would be strictly enforced by security agents and airport officials. All VIPs are expected to carry their travel bags at all airports.

He also said that a ‘no mask, no boarding’ policy has been introduced, meaning that passengers without facemasks would be denied access to any aircraft.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s coronavirus infections (COVID-19), on Monday, surpassed the 29,000 cases as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced 575 new confirmed cases.

The NCDC said on its official twitter handle, late Monday that the total number of infections from the virus has risen to 29,286 in the country.

“Till date, 29,286 cases have been confirmed, 11,828 cases have been discharged and 654 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,’’ it tweeted.

The agency said that the 575 new cases were reported from 20 states- Lagos(123), FCT(100), Delta(58), Edo(52), Ogun(42), Katsina(24), Bayelsa(23), Rivers(22), Borno(19) and Plateau(18)

Others are Ondo(18), Oyo(17), Kwara(15), Osun(13), Enugu(9), Nasarawa (7), Abia(6), Cross River(5), Kaduna(3) and Ekiti(1).

Meanwhile, ahead of the Edo and Ondo states gubernatorial elections, NCDC has advised politicians to use media channels like radio, television and social media to campaign for votes.

The advice is contained in its newly published guidelines for elections.

The NCDC said the use of these channels, rather than the previous methods of canvassing for votes which involves mass gathering, would help check the spread of COVID-19 infections.

It also called for careful adherence to mass gathering guideline.

“We urge our politicians to take responsibility and lead by example.

“We ask you to please think of the lives of the electorate first.

“Your electorate staying alive, is much more important than any vote you can win.

“The guideline is to support critically, Nigerians that will be going to vote.

“The virus thrives in mass gathering and there is a challenge that we have in the way we have conducted our elections before, during and post.

“In this guideline, we try and offer advice on how to do this safely,’’ it explained.