WATCH: St Kitts Refuses Landing for Air Peace Passengers; Antigua Says It Was Right to Be Cautious

Fresh concerns are emerging across the Caribbean over the handling of passengers connected to Air Peace’s new Nigeria-to-Caribbean service after reports surfaced that authorities in St Kitts and Nevis refused entry or landing clearance for some passengers transiting from Barbados.

The development comes just days after the inaugural Air Peace flight from Lagos arrived in Barbados as part of a new regional air bridge connecting West Africa to the Caribbean.

Antigua and Barbuda decided early on to have the flight diverted. It was expected to land at V.C Bird International on Monday.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne had already indicated that the government was adopting a cautious approach to the initiative, revealing that some passengers destined for Antigua would transit through Barbados before being transported onward by LIAT.

Regional scrutiny intensified further following reports that St Kitts and Nevis declined to facilitate landing arrangements for certain passengers travelling onward from Barbados, amid heightened international health alerts surrounding Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa.

Concerns escalated after reports published by Nigerian media indicated that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) had placed Nigeria on “high risk of Ebola importation” due to ongoing outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

According to the report, the NCDC warned that international travel and uncertainty surrounding the full magnitude of the outbreak had increased the risk profile for the region.

The article further stated that three Red Cross volunteers in the Democratic Republic of Congo reportedly died from suspected Ebola infections after allegedly being exposed while handling dead bodies.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) also reportedly raised alarm over what it described as a renewed and expanding Ebola threat across parts of Africa.

The NCDC’s assessment reportedly identified border communities, major transport hubs and areas with high international movement as particularly vulnerable to possible importation risks.

The reports are likely to heighten anxieties across the Caribbean as regional governments continue balancing tourism expansion, regional connectivity and public health security.