Nothing has been heard from the Nigerian government following the widely reported cancellation of visas granted the country’s citizens by the United States Embassy.
Olufemi Soneye, former spokesperson for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, raised concerns in a recent article published by Premium Times. He highlighted what he termed the “quiet revocation” of visas issued to Nigerians by the U.S. Embassy.
In his publication titled, ‘The quiet revocation: Why is the US embassy silently canceling Nigerians’ visas?, Soneye alleged that Nigerian citizens, including professionals, entrepreneurs, frequent travelers, and families, are stranded in the US Embassy, which revoked their valid visas.
According to Soneye, numerous affected individuals received formal notifications in recent weeks instructing them to submit their passports to the U.S. consulate in either Lagos or Abuja. Upon submission, their visas were abruptly canceled.
He said in the cancellation notices the embassy cited Title 22, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 41.122, which stated that “new information became available after the visa was issued,” but provided no details, evidence, or avenues for appeal.
He noted that among those impacted are a prominent journalist, the head of a federal government agency scheduled to deliver an international address, and an Abuja-based entrepreneur with a spotless travel record.
Others include professionals and frequent travelers, who rely on visas for education, family reunions, medical treatment, and critical business engagements.
However, Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry has yet to respond to the situation as of the time of filing the report.
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