Visa Restrictions: Atiku Begs Trump To Consider US – Nigerian Relationships

“I urge the government of President Donald Trump to consider the history of US-Nigerian relationships.” the former Vice-President and the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said

Atiku who describe the recent immigration restriction the United State placed on Nigeria, 5 other countries said: “I received with sadness the policy of the government of the United States of America to place Nigeria on its travel ban list,” Atiku said via a statement on Saturday. “While I understand the reasons given by the Trump administration (the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration to share information and to address issues of terrorism), the ban does not take into account the pro-American sentiments of the Nigerian public and the solidarity previous Nigerian administrations have had with the United States. “I urge the government of President Donald Trump to consider the history of US-Nigerian relationships.”

Once again, I call on President @realDonaldTrump to consider adopting measures that individually target those in government who have failed in their duties, rather than target the entire Nigerian population.

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) February 1, 2020

“I urge the government of President Donald Trump to consider the history of US-Nigerian relationships.” the former Vice-President and the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said Atiku who describe the recent immigration restriction the United State placed on Nigeria, 5 other countries said: “I received with sadness the policy of the government of the United States of America to place Nigeria on its travel ban list,” Atiku said via a statement on Saturday.

While I understand the reasons given by the Trump administration (the failure of the @MBuhari led administration to share information and to address issues of terrorism), the ban does not take into account the pro-American sentiments of the Nigerian public…

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) February 1, 2020

“While I understand the reasons given by the Trump administration (the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration to share information and to address issues of terrorism), the ban does not take into account the pro-American sentiments of the Nigerian public and the solidarity previous Nigerian administrations have had with the United States. “I urge the government of President Donald Trump to consider the history of US-Nigerian relationships.” Atiku also said: “Nigeria was one of the few African nations that joined the US-led coalition during Operation Desert Storm between 1990-1991 when the United States championed the liberation of Kuwait”. “The Trump administration may also consider the pivotal role Nigeria, in partnership with the US, played in bringing peace to Liberia, an American sphere of influence, that now enjoys democracy because Nigerian blood and money paved the way for peace in that nation. “Nigeria has also consistently voted in support of the United States and her allies at the UN and other multilateral world bodies.

This is even as we are perhaps the biggest trading partner that the United States has in Africa, even where we had alternatives.” U.S. President Donald Trump issued a directive to restrict immigration from six additional countries, citing security concerns, administration officials said on Friday. The six nations are: Nigeria, Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan and Tanzania. The countries will face tailored restrictions, the official said. The new rules come into effect on February 22. The new rules stop short of a blanket travel ban and will still allow certain visits to the U.S., notably those for non-immigration purposes, which raised questions about how the administration was defining security concerns.

The restrictions are largely focused on immigration visas that can lead to the ability to settle permanently in the U.S., and not on visits for familiar purposes or for business, in most cases. The rules are being imposed ahead of elections later this year and come three years after Trump slapped a travel ban on several Muslim-majority nations, sparking an uproar.

The ban, which was modified, was later upheld by a court ruling. The problems facing the latest six countries to be hit with restrictions largely stem from deficiencies in sharing intelligence with the U.S. and Interpol, in addition to technological issues pertaining to passports and databases, the officials said. Officials said the nations could make moves to improve their status. One country that nearly ended up on the list was able to improve its systems in advance of the new directive and sidestep the restrictions, the officials said.

Trump has made restricting immigration, particularly from Muslim and poorer countries, a cornerstone of his policy as president. When he launched his campaign for the White House in 2015, Trump called for a shutdown of all Muslim migration to the U.S. The president is expected to formally sign and issue the new directive as early as Friday.