More countries to join Nigeria on US immigration ban

The United States Government early in the year slammed an immigration ban on Nigeria.

The restriction took effect on February 21st and was the fourth action taken against Nigeria within eight months.

However, Nigerians who got their immigration visas before that date were not affected.

The US said Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria and others failed to meet its security and information-sharing standards.

Also affected were citizens from Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, Kyrgyzstan, and Myanmar.

“These countries, for the most part, want to be helpful but for a variety of different reasons simply failed to meet those minimum requirements that we laid out,” Homeland Security Secretary, Chad Wolf, said.

The sanction led to condemnations against the Nigerian government.

Peter Obi, the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019 election, posited that the development was the consequence of a failing government.

Less than a week after the U.S. action, the Buhari administration, through the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) launched the ‘Crime Records Information Management System (CRIMS).

NFIU explained that the app could access local data such as identities, properties, financial transactions and telephone details and call logs of suspects.

Now, the U.S. is set to extend the ban on other countries.

President Donald Trump confirmed this Monday night via his Twitter handle.

Trump noted that the decision was to protect Americans as the nation fights coronavirus.

“In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” he tweeted.

The administration’s officials are finalizing work on the order.

It is expected to be signed this week and would temporarily halt the issuance of new American green cards and work visas.

The embargo on the issuance had been in place as consulates worldwide closed since the coronavirus was declared a pandemic.