•Your assets are protected in Lagos, gov tells investors

The Sixth Lagos Real Estate Marketplace Conference highlighted the transformative vision of Lagos State to evolve to a thriving mega city and the inherent challenges.

The event, which attracted over 2,000 physical participants including real estate investors from America, Middle East and Asia, was held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, with the theme: “Shaping the Future of Lagos Megacity: Infrastructure, Innovation and Affordable Housing”.

It was organised by the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) under the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said Lagos had evolved into one of the world’s most dynamic urban economies, but stressed that the state government’s current efforts were to sustain the inclusive growth of Lagos, making the state liveable for generations yet unborn.

Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said, had moved beyond a city of potential, noting that the accelerated growth witnessed by the state had turned it to a city of performance.

Despite its impressive skylines, the governor said the state’s nature of growth had brought about new challenges that must be confronted by the government.

Sanwo-Olu said provision of dignified and affordable housing for the state’s growing population remained a major concern for the government, pointing out the need to tap into more private capital with public purpose.

He said: “How do we build a mega city that works not just for the few, but for the many? Provision of housing in the 21st century is not just about buildings; it is about human dignity, economic productivity, social stability and about the kind of city we choose to become.

“In Lagos, we understand that one cannot build a 21st-century mega city on 20th-century planning assumptions. That is why housing sits firmly at the heart of our development agenda; it is interwoven with transportation, infrastructure, energy, climate resilience, and economic opportunity.

“We are investing in enabling infrastructure that includes roads, rail, power, water, and drainage, because housing cannot thrive in isolation. Developments must connect to jobs, to markets, and to mobility. That is why our transport investments, from rail to road corridors, are intentionally aligned with housing growth zones.”

Sanwo-Olu said housing affordability in Lagos translated to building homes which people could live in, pay for, and easily access, adding that the developments must be close to where they work and raise families.

The governor opined that leveraging Public-Private Partnerships, structured finance, land optimisation, and demand-led planning would help bridging the gap.

He also argued the government needed to play its rightful role as enabler, regulator, and partner; not sole provider in the real estate sector.

Sanwo-Olu, who wooed investors at the forum, assured them of transparency and improved security that would protect their investment.

He said: “To our local developers, Lagos believes in you. To our international partners, Lagos is open, ready and serious. This state remains one of the safest, most stable, and best-governed investment destinations in Africa. We govern with integrity.

“We have continued to strengthen our security architecture through technology, improved intelligence, enhanced manpower, and coordinated multi-agency collaboration. Safety, stability, and the rule of law remain non-negotiable pillars of our investment environment.”

The governor commended LASRERA for sustaining the platform, which he described as the “marketplace where ideas meet policy, capital meets opportunity”, and vision meets implementation.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Barr. Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, said the Lagos Real Estate Marketplace served as an intellectual theatre of ideas for practitioners, noting that the previous conference had brought about regulatory interventions and policy shifts in the sector.

She said the New Tenancy Bill currently being reviewed by the House of Assembly was part of the positive outcomes of the conference, pointing out that the bill aimed to balance the rights of landlords and tenants, streamline the role of practitioners, and provide clearer guidelines for real estate transactions.

In his lecture, the keynote speaker and former Lagos Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, listed measures that would bolster the government’s efforts to accelerate housing development.

Banire said the government’s vision must outlive policies, while noting that obedience and fidelity to the unified master plan must be maintained.

He added that there must be strict protection of highway setbacks, stressing that the state must strengthen its environmental protection laws to make the city habitable.

SOURCE PAGE

A few prominent names in Nigeria’s failed opposition have issued a statement accusing President Bola Tinubu of presiding over an administration that is determined to make Nigeria a one-party dictatorship. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, they claimed, has been weaponised into hounding opposition politicians, particularly governors, who have been or are being forced to defect to the governing All Progressives Congress. Otherwise, they risk prosecution for financial crimes by the EFCC. The accusation of a partisan EFCC, the politicians claim, is the general perception of Nigerians.  

Rather than owning this position with their full chest, as Nigerians would say in common parlance, these estranged members of the political class have disingenuously attributed their claims to the Nigerian people. Many of the politicians in the so-called opposition were at one time or the other members of the APC or some of the other political parties in which they frequently congregate in a tradition that has almost flattened the political space. As true partisans, they want Nigeria’s public accounts between 2015 and 2025 made public, as if that is the only period covered by civil governance. Did locusts eat the PDP years?  

In nagging about Bola Tinubu and the APC, they executed a sleight of hand that allows them to say, as they are accustomed to saying, that the 2027 election is a contest, more or less a referendum, between Nigerians and the APC. This, as if members of the opposition are the only true Nigerians and those in the APC are aliens descended from outer space or Upper Mongolia. When it is convenient for them, Nigerian politicians separate themselves from their estranged counterparts and speak in a language that dissolves the difference between them and the underdog majority that have borne the burden of their oppressive rule. It is all a red herring for which Nigerians are no longer falling.  

And one might ask: who are the opposition figures that endorsed the statement warning about the APC’s misuse of state institutions in their alleged quest for a one-party state? We have the usual suspects, the duo that lost the last presidential election in 2023, namely: Atiku Abubakar, formerly of the PDP but now of the ADC, and Peter Obi, always a lightweight but for the 2023 miracle, is now politically destitute, a wandering meteor in the political galaxy.  

I guess it’s the EFCC that has turned the BOT of his faction of the LP against the NWC? David Mark, two-time President of the Nigerian Senate, is a reconditioned democrat and former one-star General of the Nigerian Army. He was in that class of a soldiery junta that traduced the democratic will of Nigerians with their annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. He demonstrated his disdain for the same Nigerians he now pretends to be friends with by his notorious statement, as Minister of Communication in 1985, that telephones are not meant for the poor. That is an infrastructure that we have in almost 25 years taken for granted. David Mark is the chair of the ADC, a political party that was supposed to be the grand alliance of the Nigerian opposition and nemesis of the APC. The splash that heralded its formation has since tapered into a cold whimper.  

John Odigie Oyegun, an otherwise dignified technocrat, a former governor of Edo State and one-time chair of the governing APC, has since fallen into political oblivion. Who else signed off on that statement? Lawal Batagarawa? Of what timbre is he as a politician? One wonders why Rauf Aregbesola, Nasir el-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi were left out. For Amaechi, could it be connected to his recent assertion to contest for the presidency in his own right and not as anyone’s (Atiku Abubakar?) deputy?  

El-Rufai has been hibernating since Donald Trump decided to give the tiresome issue of Christian genocide the kind of close look that could reveal quite a bit about his mistreatment of the Christian population of Southern Kaduna during his time as the Governor of Kaduna. The Janus-faced Nasir who has spoken for and against the Jihadist Islam championed by the Fulani bandits and terrorists responsible for most of the targetted attacks on Christian communities of the North and the Middle Belt sure knows when to hide his head. Aregbesola has been sulking since he was pelted with stones during a run-in with alleged APC thugs in Ekiti.  

My point, therefore, is that the so-called senior opposition leaders, as a Vanguard report described them, are expired politicians catching at straws. Otherwise, it is Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi who are complaining, lamenting their inability to gain traction as the country heads into the 2027 election. They only added a few names to give a semblance of gravitas to their complaints.  

The truth is that the APC would be delusional to think it can make Nigeria a one-party state even if it cannot see it is neither in its nor Nigeria’s interest. But the country is in no greater danger of becoming a one-party state than it was when PDP controlled 28 states out of 36 at the peak of its reign. APC is yet one state lesser than the PDP was then and, is perhaps, aiming to match the latter’s record.  

The likelihood of the APC using the EFCC to hound its opponent is possible, even probable, but it would be following a playbook written by the PDP, beginning with President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2004/2005. In the election that brought Umar Yar’Adua into office, Obasanjo upped the ante, saying the matter was a do-or-die affair, after decimating the opposition parties, especially the camp of Alliance for Democracy governors and even governors of the PDP he wanted out. My advice in those years and in this space is the same advice I’m again offering: the so-called selective prosecution of the EFCC should be sustained for as long as those being prosecuted have a case to answer. The country is better off making corrupt politicians and office holders accountable than allowing them to enjoy the proceeds of their crime. Someday, a Pharaoh would emerge who did not know Joseph and the table would turn. President Bola Tinubu was himself docked by the Code of Conduct Bureau under a PDP government for operating multiple foreign accounts in 2011. The heavens did not fall nor did that stop him from going on to co-found a party that ousted the PDP from power.    

The problem with today’s opposition is their refusal, which amounted to a failure of leadership, to do the work of opposition. Like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, it is too self-indulgent to do more than look for the carefully laid nest to rest its head.  

The post Is Bola Tinubu persecuting Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi? By Rotimi Fasan appeared first on Vanguard News.

SOURCE PAGE

Anambra State Police Command has reaffirmed commitment to strengthen its relationship with the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), among others, in the fight against domestic servitude and early marriage.    
  
The Commissioner of Police (CP), Ikioye Orutugu, disclosed this at an event organised by the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), in collaboration with the Dominicans for Justice and Peace, to enhance advocacy strategies against the harmful practices of domestic servitude and early child marriage, at the Pastoral Centre in Awka. 
  
Stakeholders present at the event included the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), community leaders and concerned citizens.
  
The practices, Orutugu observed, constitute grave violations of the rights of the child and punishable under Nigerian laws, including the Child Rights Act, Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, and other relevant laws applicable in Anambra.
  
Under the law, no child should be deprived of education, dignity, safety or the opportunity to grow in a healthy and supportive environment.   
 
 Domestic servitude often subjects children to exploitation, abuse, neglect, and denial of basic rights, while early child marriage exposes minors, especially girls, to various health risks, psychological trauma, and lifelong social and economic disadvantages.
  
Noting that the acts are not cultural norms, but crimes that must be confronted collectively, the CP reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting children and vulnerable persons. 

According to him, the command would  continue to investigate reported cases, rescue victims and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice in accordance with the law.                  
  
In addition, he said the command was strengthening collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, agencies, traditional institutions, schools and non-governmental organisations to enhance prevention, protection and rehabilitation efforts. Orutugu called on parents, guardians, employers and community leaders to play their roles responsibly.
  
“Children should be in school, not in servitude or forced into marriage. Communities are encouraged to speak up and report any suspected case of child abuse, exploitation or forced marriage to the nearest police station or relevant authorities, and all reports will be treated with confidentiality and professionalism.
  
“The fight against domestic servitude and early child marriage requires collective action. The police cannot do it alone. Together, we can safeguard the future of our children and build a society founded on justice, respect and human dignity
 
“The Anambra State Police Command remains committed to this cause and urges all citizens to join hands in saying no to domestic servitude and early child marriage,” he added.

SOURCE PAGE

• … We’ll go back to our people to decide next move — Ajaero

In a last minute effort to forestall a disruption in normal daily business activities and public order, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, late Tuesday met with leaderships of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

The meeting, called ahead of today’s planned protest by the organised Labour against insecurity across the country, had representatives of relevant stakeholders in attendance.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who was responding to a question on whether the organised Labour was still going on with its plan to protest, said he and his colleagues in attendance would have to meet with the larger house to come to a decision that could be announced subsequently.

“We came for consultation with the President, and we are finished. So we have to go back to our meeting and then continue tomorrow. By tomorrow you’ll get the outcome”, he said.

On whether the protest would go on as earlier announced, Ajaero said “If I’m insisting or not insisting, I’ll communicate to you. It’s not an organization that one person rules, let’s go back. Now you have a meeting of Labour and the governor’s forum. We’ll go back to the drawing board and digest all that Mr. President said to us, and move forward from there”, he said. 

The Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, said the meeting was part of consultations, adding that all stakeholders, including government, Labour and the governed are meant to work for the country.

“Consultation is going on, we’re dialoguing. Like he said at the end of the day, you’ll know what you’re supposed to know and what you want to know. We are here to serve the country; both the Labour, the government and the governed. We’re all working service to the nation”, the governor said.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeoch, said the meeting with the President was a satisfying experience for the Labour, noting that the fact that the administration had managed to bring the economy to a safe place was good enough message to Labour.

“Citizens who are also members of an NLC wanted to see Mr. President, and they’ve seen Mr. President, and of course, you know, they are happy they’ve seen Mr. President, and they’ve had firsthand that at least the President has driven the economy out of the woods. So it’s a very good news”, she said.

SOURCE PAGE

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

ABUJA — The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has raised the alarm over what it described as a clandestine plot by unscrupulous agencies and political hirelings to infiltrate and violently disrupt its planned National Day of Protest and Mourning scheduled for today.

The labour centre warned that any attack on peaceful protesters would be regarded as an act of terrorism and could trigger an immediate, comprehensive and indefinite nationwide strike capable of shutting down the country’s economy.

In a statemen by its acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, the NLC said it had received “credible and disturbing intelligence” pointing to plans to use armed thugs to attack workers and other citizens participating in the protest.

The statement read in part: “NLC has received credible and disturbing intelligence from its community networks indicating a clandestine plan by unscrupulous agencies and desperate political hirelings to infiltrate and violently disrupt the peaceful National Day of Protest and Mourning organised by workers for Tuesday, December 17, 2025 (today).

“These protests, as every comrade and citizen knows, are a necessary and legitimate response to the escalating reign of terror unleashed on our nation. The industrial-scale loss of lives through kidnappings, abductions and killings, amid staggering government indifference or weakness, speaks for itself. Our action tomorrow is therefore not a mere procession; it is a collective act of grief, a roar of despair from the oppressed, and a democratic demand for the fundamental right to life and security.

“We have lost count of the number of our members—teachers, farmers, miners and other artisans—who have died as a result of this overwhelming insecurity. Let it be clearly understood by those in the corridors of power and the purveyors of violence that the Congress is now officially aware of their plot to deploy armed thugs to attack peaceful protesters, foment chaos and create a pretext for violent repression. We call this plot exactly what it is: state-enabled terrorism against Nigerian citizens.”

“We therefore issue a stern and final warning to the sponsors and executors of this plan: Desist immediately. Call off your hoodlums. Any attack on peacefully protesting workers will be regarded as a direct declaration of war on the entire Nigerian working class and its allies.

“The Police, having been duly informed of the protest and its dynamics, must rise to their constitutional responsibility to protect the democratic rights of citizens to freely assemble and express themselves. These rights must be respected and guaranteed.

“To all working people of Nigeria—the unemployed, students, traders and all victims of insecurity—we alert you to this insidious plot. Do not be cowed. Do not be provoked. Our protest must remain peaceful, disciplined and massive. Solidarity is our shield.

“This is our iron-clad resolution as passed by the National Executive Council of the NLC: Should a single worker, comrade or citizen be harmed by hired thugs or through escalated repression, the NLC will immediately declare a comprehensive and indefinite nationwide strike. All wheels of production, all services and every sector of the national economy will be shut down completely and indefinitely.

“When the ruling class moves to crush a peaceful protest against its own failure, it only exposes its profoundly undemocratic tendencies. Let the message be clear and without equivocation: any attack on our protest is an attack on the very engine of Nigeria. The consequence will be escalation and total shutdown.”

The post Insecurity: NLC threatens indefinite strike, alleges plot to attack protesters appeared first on Vanguard News.

SOURCE PAGE

A midnight fire has ravaged the Gombe timber market, also known as ‘Kasuwar Katako’, located at the Railway station in the Gombe State capital.
  
The fire, which started about 8.00pm on Monday, destroyed numerous timbers, stores, shops, and gutted a nearby mosque.  Firefighters from the Gombe State University (GSU), Federal Fire Service personnel and private water tanker operators intervened to bring the blaze under control after 30 minutes of intense burning.  As at press time, the extent of the damage and the exact number of stores affected by the fire were yet to be determined.
 
 Meanwhile, Governor Muhammad Yahaya, has expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.  The governor, through his media aide, Isma’il Misilli, described the incident as painful and distressing, noting that the scale of destruction was a huge setback to hardworking men and women who depend on the market for their daily sustenance.
  
He directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other relevant agencies to immediately move in, conduct a thorough assessment and investigation into the cause of the fire, and provide urgent relief and support to cushion the impact on victims.
  
While sympathising with the victims, Governor Yahaya called on those affected to remain calm, assuring them that government would take necessary steps to mitigate their losses and strengthen preventive measures to avert future occurrences.
  
He also reiterated his administration’s resolve to establish a state-of-the-art fire office, fully equipped to complement existing fire-fighting facilities across the state, in line with his commitment to protect lives, property and investments.
  
“Yahaya extended his heartfelt sympathy to affected shop owners, traders and all individuals who suffered losses as a result of the inferno.
  
“He extended his heartfelt sympathy to affected shop owners, traders and all individuals who suffered losses as a result of the inferno, assuring them that the government stands firmly with them at this difficult moment.
  
“The governor prayed God for continued protection over Gombe State, its people and their means of livelihood, and for comfort and strength for all those affected by this unfortunate incident,” Misilli added.

SOURCE PAGE

President Donald Trump, has signed a proclamation expanding its travel ban and further restricting nationals of seven more countries, as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders, from entering the United States (US).

The proclamation also includes partial restrictions and entry limitations on nationals from 15 additional countries.

This disclosure is contained in a fact sheet titled “President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States”, seen on White House website and issued on December 16, 2025.

Its states that the restrictions are placed on nationals from countries deemed high-risk due to “demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that threaten U.S. national security and public safety.

The US government in the proclamation continues full restrictions and entry limitations on nationals from the original 12 high-risk countries under Proclamation 10949: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

The five additional countries with full restrictions and entry limitations include Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, along with individuals holding Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents. Laos and Sierra Leone, previously subject to partial restrictions, now face full restrictions.

Nigeria added to the list

The Proclamation continues partial restrictions of nationals from 4 of the 7 original high-risk countries namely Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela.

It adds partial restrictions and entry limitations on 15 additional countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

This is a developing story…

Follow us for Breaking News and Market Intelligence.




SOURCE PAGE

Chiemelie Ezeobi 

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, has underscored the strategic role of grassroots sports in youth empowerment and national security, urging young Nigerians to leverage sports as a pathway to personal development and nation-building.

According to Major General Samaila Uba, the Director Defence Information, General Oluyede made this call at the opening ceremony of the maiden edition of the CDS Under-15 Boys Football Championship, held at the Sharks Football Club Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on 15 December 2025.

Represented by the Chief of Administration, Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Gideon Kachim, the CDS explained that the championship was conceived as a unifying platform to promote healthy competition, foster social cohesion, and develop essential life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and resilience among youths.

He noted that beyond talent development, the initiative was designed to strengthen civil–military cooperation by positively engaging young people in structured sporting activities, thereby promoting mutual understanding, respect, and togetherness in the true spirit of sportsmanship. According to him, encouraging youths to view football as a legitimate means of livelihood would help deter unwholesome behaviour and youth restiveness, ultimately contributing to improved national security.

The CDS further disclosed that the six-day championship brings together teams from the South-South region, including Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, and Edo States, alongside Abia and Imo States from the South East. He emphasised that the tournament represents a critical non-kinetic approach to security management, stressing that constructive youth engagement remains a powerful tool in discouraging social vices.

General Oluyede affirmed that the championship aligns with the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s broader strategy to empower youths, promote discipline, and nurture talents at the grassroots.

 He expressed appreciation to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his sustained commitment to youth empowerment and national security.

 He also commended the Rivers State Government and Greater Heights Global Sports Development Limited for their support towards the successful hosting of the tournament.

Earlier, the Director of Sports, Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Babatunde Phillips, highlighted the championship as a platform for young talents to showcase their skills, foster personal growth, inspire excellence, and build bonds of cooperation and brotherhood. 

He added that the tournament seeks to empower youths to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s sports development, particularly in the face of challenges such as insecurity and drug abuse.

Air Vice Marshal Phillips further stated that the initiative reflects the CDS’s commitment to grassroots sports development and youth-focused interventions, aimed at talent identification and the inculcation of values such as integrity, resilience, unity, and fair play. 

He urged participating teams to shun unhealthy rivalry, compete with courage, respect the rules of the championship, and uphold the highest standards of sportsmanship.

The opening match of the championship saw the Rivers Military Team (RMT) defeat the Delta Military Team (DMT) by two goals to nil. The tournament is scheduled to climax with the final match on 20 December 2025.

SOURCE PAGE

The National Council on Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (NCCIDE) has announced Zamfara state as the top performing in e-government in Nigeria’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

The state has also emerged as the first Runner-Up in ICT Human Capital Development at the 13th National Council on Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy in Jos, Plateau State.

Last year, Zamfara state was recognized as the Best State in Digital Infrastructure Development during the council’s conference in Benue state.

State officials said these milestones reflect the visionary leadership and unwavering commitment of Governor Dauda lawal in driving e-governance, digital skills development, and the overall digital economy in Zamfara State.

A two-day technical session led by Nadungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, reviewed key digital policies, with delegates from states, MDAs, NGOs, security agencies and academia participating.

The council considered 114 memoranda, approving 80, noting 11 and stepping down 23, after extensive deliberations on national digital development priorities.

A states’ innovation peer review session enabled states to showcase progress in digital transformation and share best practices to enhance nationwide ICT development.

The meeting focused on accelerating inclusive digital transformation and fostering sustainable national growth through innovation-driven policies.

Anambra won overall best state and best in human capital development, while Enugu emerged best in ICT infrastructure development.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang, represented by Deputy Governor Josephine Piyo, declared the meeting open, while Minister Bosun Tijani was represented by Dr Yusuf Kofarmata, Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Kano State.

The 5-day meeting, which started on the 8th of December and ended on the 12th, had participants from across the 36 states of the federation, including staff of the Federal Ministry of Communications Innovation and Digital Economy and security operatives.

The council appreciated Plateau hospitality and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy through collaboration, innovation and emerging technologies.

Adding that the meeting aimed to accelerate inclusive digital transformation by strengthening policies, expanding digital access, boosting skills development and fostering nationwide collaboration to bridge Nigeria’s widening digital gap.

The post Zamfara emerges best state in e-government  — NCCIDE appeared first on Vanguard News.

SOURCE PAGE

The United States government has revealed that Nigeria was added to its expanded travel restrictions list over concerns bordering on terrorism-related security risks and high visa overstay rates.

According to U.S. authorities, the presence and activities of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in parts of Nigeria have created challenges for effective screening and vetting of travellers. 

The decision was also influenced by data showing elevated visa overstay figures, with Nigeria recording a 5.56 per cent overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visas and 11.90 per cent for F, M and J visas.

“Radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State operate freely in certain parts of Nigeria, which creates substantial screening and vetting difficulties. According to the Overstay Report, Nigeria had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 5.56 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 11.90 percent.”

Tribune Online reports that United States President, Donald Trump, approved the expanded travel restrictions under a new proclamation aimed at strengthening national security and public safety.

A White House statement said the proclamation retains full entry restrictions on nationals of 12 countries earlier classified as high risk: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Five more countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria were added to the list of nations facing full restrictions following a recent security review. 

The measures also apply to individuals travelling with documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.

Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously under partial restrictions, have now been placed under full entry limits, while partial restrictions remain for Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela.

The proclamation lifts the ban on nonimmigrant visas for Turkmenistan, citing improved cooperation with the United States, but maintains restrictions on immigrant entry for Turkmen nationals.

Nigeria is among 15 countries newly placed under partial restrictions, alongside Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The policy provides exemptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders and specific categories such as diplomats and athletes, as well as individuals whose entry is considered to serve U.S. national interests. 

It also tightens family-based immigrant visa exemptions viewed as vulnerable to fraud, while allowing case-by-case waivers.

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

SOURCE PAGE