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US Defends Soyinka’s Visa Revocation, Says ‘Visa is a Privilege, Not a Right’
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The United States Embassy in Lagos has clarified that the issuance of visas to foreign nationals is a privilege, not a right, as it defended the revocation of the travel visa of Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
In a statement to The PUNCH on Thursday, the U.S. Consulate in Lagos explained that while visa details are confidential, the American government reserves the discretion to revoke any visa at any time.
“Under U.S. law, visa records are generally confidential. We will not discuss the details of this individual visa case,” said Julia McKay, Public Diplomacy Officer, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Consulate General, Lagos.
McKay emphasized that visa privileges could be withdrawn whenever circumstances warrant, noting that “visas are a privilege, not a right. Every country, including the United States, can determine who enters its borders. Visas may be revoked at any time, at the discretion of the U.S. government.”
Soyinka Confirms Revocation
Prof. Wole Soyinka, 91, had earlier revealed the revocation of his B1/B2 U.S. visa during a media parley held at Freedom Park, Lagos, on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event tagged “Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface,” the Nobel laureate announced that the notice of revocation was formally communicated to him in a letter dated October 23, 2025, by the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.
“It is necessary for me to hold this press conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event or that event do not waste their time,” Soyinka said.
“I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me.”
‘I Don’t Know What I Did Wrong’ — Soyinka
The world-renowned author and playwright expressed surprise over the decision, saying he was unaware of any wrongdoing that could have warranted such action.
“I’ve started looking back—have I ever misbehaved towards the United States of America? Have I been convicted or gone against the law anywhere?” he wondered.
Soyinka, who has lived and taught extensively in the U.S., recalled two minor incidents decades ago — one involving undeclared green chilies at a Chicago airport and another confrontation with police in Atlanta in the early 1970s — but doubted they were related to the visa cancellation.
According to the letter from the U.S. Consulate, Soyinka’s non-immigrant visa “has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in the U.S. Department of State regulations 22 CFR 41.122 and is no longer valid for entry into the United States.”
The correspondence added that the revocation was based on “additional information” obtained after the visa was issued, and requested Soyinka to return the visa for physical cancellation — a request the laureate described humorously.
“If you have plans to travel to the United States, you must apply again to re-establish your qualifications for a new non-immigrant visa,” the letter concluded.
Soyinka, Africa’s first Nobel Laureate in Literature (1986), has held academic positions across several U.S. universities and remains one of Nigeria’s most respected intellectuals.
The revocation of his visa has stirred debate among scholars and human rights advocates, amid growing scrutiny of U.S. immigration and border policies under the Trump administration.
newsmirrorng
A helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia killed 14 Saudi citizens on Sunday, the kingdom’s official press agency reported, adding that the aircraft belonged to state oil giant Aramco.
The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official at the energy ministry, reported the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura in the country’s east.
“The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens,” the agency said, adding that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash.
Aramco says it operates more than 60 aircraft, including helicopters serving more than 300 heliports in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest corporate fleets in the region.
The deadly accident comes as oil-rich Gulf nations seek to ramp up their output following Iranian attacks and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the export of oil and gas.
The Gulf monarchy did not indicate the incident was in any way connected to a hostile attack.
During the Middle East war, Iranian attacks had targeted energy facilities in the Gulf.
Ras Tanura is home to one of the largest refineries in the Middle East, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, and is critical to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector.
The refinery has been targeted several times, notably during an Iranian drone attack at the beginning of the conflict, which caused a fire and forced a partial shutdown.
Riyadh said in April that the weeks-long attacks had disrupted several production operations at key facilities, with refineries in Ras Tanura as well as Jubail, Yanbu and Riyadh targeted.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude exporter, produces a little over 10 million bpd.
AFP
An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, planted by alleged bandits along the Kurawa–Sabon Birni road in Sokoto State on Sunday hit a vehicle, killing one person and injuring many passengers.
The incident raised fresh concerns over the growing use of explosive devices by criminal groups operating in parts of the North-West.
The vehicle was said to be conveying passengers from surrounding communities to Sabon Birni when it ran over the explosive device, triggering a blast that severely damaged the vehicle and left several occupants injured.
A security analyst based in the area, Bashir Guyawa, disclosed the incident in a post on his Facebook page.
Guyawa described the incident as another reminder of the persistent security challenges confronting communities along the border axis.
He said the vehicle was on a routine passenger trip when the explosion occurred.
“The vehicle was conveying passengers early this morning on their way to Sabon Birni when the unfortunate incident happened,” he wrote.
Twelve people were injured in a clash between farmers from Larabar Gadan Sarki and herders from the communities of Majawa and Karade in Warawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
The chairman of Warawa Local Government, Lamido Sunusi Ahmad, disclosed this in a statement issued by his media aide, Musleem Garindau.
The statement said the council chairman visited the injured victims at Wudil General Hospital and directed that the local government should cover the cost of their treatment until they had fully recovered.
He also commended community leaders and security personnel for their swift intervention, noting that calm had been restored to the affected communities.
The chairman urged residents to refrain from spreading rumours or engaging in any act capable of escalating tensions and instead embrace dialogue to promote peaceful coexistence.
Speaking further, the Vice Chairman of Warawa Local Government, Hon. Ibrahim Abdu Madari, explained that the conflict involved residents of the communities, all of whom are indigenous to the area.
He said reports indicated that the violence began after a cow strayed into a farmer’s field and ate some crops. The farmer allegedly beat the cow, prompting its owner to assault the farmer, and the disagreement later escalated into a wider clash.
He also reiterated his appeal to residents to live peacefully and resolve disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding.
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