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U.S. imposes visa restrictions on Nigerian officials

The United States government on Tuesday announced that it has imposed visa restrictions on some Nigerian officials.

The U.S. Department of state said the visa restrictions affect Nigerians officials alleged to have been involved in attempts to rig the 2019 presidential and local elections.

These individuals whose names were not mentioned were deemed according to the US to have undermined democracy in the elections.

President Muhammadu Buhari won a second term in office in February this year, an election whose results are still being challenged in court by the losing opposition.

The entire electoral process was however characterized by logistical problems, violence and killings in some areas.

Statement on ban

Morgan Ortagus, who speaks for the department of state said in a statement that those being banned from the U.S. “have operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and undermined democratic principles and human rights.

“The Department of State emphasises that the actions announced today are specific to certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people or the newly elected government,” Ortagus added.

The American government has in recent years imposed visa restriction on some African government officials in protest of actions it deems unsatisfactory.

Reactions?

Some Nigerians have been reacting to the announcement of the ban on social media.

Past bans

The United States government in February this year also imposed visa restriction on Ghana.

It accused the West African country of failing to accept it’s citizens awaiting deportation from the United States.

Last year some Congolese officials were also banned from the U.S.

These officials are accused of engaging in corrupt acts and electoral malpractices.

Source: Africafeeds.com

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