Nigerian govt cautions citizens against travelling to U.S.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa

The presidency has advised Nigerians who have no “compelling or urgent” reason to travel to the U.S. not to do so.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, advised Nigerians who have no compelling or urgent reason to travel to the U.S. to postpone their travel plans until the Donald Trump administration’s policy on immigration is clear.

In a statement in Abuja by her media assistant, Abdurrahman Balogun, Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa said that the warning became imperative due to series of reports received by her office.

“In the last few weeks, the office has received a few cases of Nigerians with valid multiple-entry US visas being denied entry and sent back to the Nigeria.”

“In such cases reported to the office, such affected persons were sent back immediately on the next available flight and their visas were cancelled.”
‎
Mrs. Dabiri -Erewa said that “no reasons were given for the decision by the U.S. immigration authorities.”

The presidential aide said that the statement “is only to advise Nigerians without any compelling or essential reasons to visit the U.S. to consider rescheduling their trip until there is clarity on the new immigration policy.”

She, however, reminded Nigerians in the Diaspora to abide by the rules and regulations of their host countries and be good ambassadors of the country.

Since his assumption office, Mr. Trump has vowed to implement his campaign promise of clamping down on immigration. He announced a controversial executive order that barred citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S.

Although Nigeria was not on the list, which has since been suspended by a U.S. court, the Nigerian presidency’s statement confirms that several Nigerians may be unjustly suffering from Mr. Trump’s immigration stance.