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US adds Nigeria to list of countries facing partial travel restrictions
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The United States has added Nigeria to a list of countries facing partial travel restrictions, citing “security and documentation” concerns.
The White House announced the presidential proclamation on Tuesday, updating its list of countries facing full and partial travel restrictions.
Nigeria was among 15 mostly African countries, including Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, and The Gambia, slammed with a partial travel suspension.
Others listed are Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
“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,” the White House said, justifying Nigeria’s addition to the list.
“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.”
Turkmenistan, which was previously on the list, was removed owing to a demonstration of “significant progress in improving its identity management and information-sharing procedures”.
The Sahelian states of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are among five countries newly placed under full restrictions and entry limitations.
The White House cited operations of “terrorist organizations” in the countries as the reason for making the cut.
The other two additions were South Sudan and Syria.
Full travel restrictions on nationals from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen remain in effect.
Laos and Sierra Leone, previously under partial restrictions, have now been placed under full restrictions.
“It is the President’s duty to take action to ensure that those seeking to enter our country will not harm the American people,” the White House said.
The proclamation added that the restrictions are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the US lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, enforce immigration laws, and counterterrorism objectives.
In June, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a full travel ban on nationals of 12 countries.
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Trump also placed heightened restrictions on people from seven countries.
The US government asked the affected countries to meet certain requirements within 60 days.
At the time, Nigeria was not included on either of the lists.
However, concerns began to rise after allegations of a Christian genocide peddled by US lawmakers and secessionist groups began to gain momentum.
In October, Trump announced his decision to officially redesignate Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern’ (CPC).
He blamed radical Islamists for the “mass slaughter”.
On Monday, Riley Moore, US congressman, said Nigeria and the US were close to reaching an agreement on a “strategic security framework” aimed at tackling terrorism in the West African nation.
Moore introduced a resolution in the US house of representatives last month “condemning the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria and supporting Trump’s move to redesignate Nigeria a CPC.”
The US congressman spoke of the security cooperation after visiting Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA), during a “fact-finding mission” to Nigeria.
Amid the row, the US announced new visa restrictions earlier this month targeting Nigerians accused of undermining religious freedom.
Marco Rubio, secretary of state, said the restrictions will affect those who “knowingly direct, authorize, fund, support, or carry out violations of religious freedom”.
He said the visa policy applies to Nigeria and other governments or individuals that persecute people for their religious beliefs.
This is not the first visa standoff between both countries in 2025.
In July, the US embassy announced a reduction in the validity period and entry allowance for “most” non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerians, effectively limiting the legality of their stay in the US to three months with a single entry.
An alleged imbalance in visa reciprocity from Nigeria was cited as the reason for the hard-hitting penalty.
However, diplomatic sources told TheCable Nigeria’s refusal to accept asylum seekers from the US was partly responsible for the visa restrictions.
TheCable learnt that the US also pushed for the option of allowing its citizens to electronically apply for Nigeria’s five-year visa without visiting an embassy, alongside access to the country’s criminal database so that Nigerians with previous criminal records who are now living in America can be identified for deportation.
Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s minister of foreign affairs, met Richard Mills, US ambassador to Nigeria, on Monday.
Though details of their meeting were not made public, the US embassy said the American government looked forward to working with Nigeria on issues of mutual concern.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has drawn attention to a fraudulent scheme orchestrated by criminal elements and scammers targeting unsuspecting members of the public.
The fraudsters have been found using the names of top NDLEA officials, most notably the Secretary to the Agency, Barrister Shadrach Haruna, to issue fake private letters and messages offering cheap forfeited vehicles for sale on auction.
The public is hereby notified that these offers are a complete scam. The Agency wishes to categorically state that these fraudulent offers are a malicious gimmick designed solely to defraud targeted individuals of their hard-earned money.
No official of the Agency has the mandate to privately offer, allocate, or sell forfeited vehicles or any other seized assets to individuals. Vehicles and other assets forfeited as proceeds of drug crimes are strictly auctioned through public processes managed by appointed, government-registered auctioneers. Any legitimate auction exercise is widely publicized in national dailies and through the Agency’s official channels, in line with established legal and public procurement guidelines.
Members of the public are strongly urged to discountenance, ignore, and report any such private letters, text messages, or social media offers claiming to originate from Barrister Shadrach Haruna or any other NDLEA official.
The NDLEA remains committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in all its operations. Do not fall victim to these criminal elements. If you are approached with such fraudulent offers, please report immediately to the nearest NDLEA command or via our official communication channels.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Nafiu Gombe has picked Professor Chris Uba as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The party disowned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its flag bearer.
The group said the party had already completed its presidential nomination process in line with its constitution and the Electoral Act, adding that Uba emerged as the recognized candidate after all required procedures were concluded.
The faction also disowned the National Working Committee headed by former Senate President David Mark, saying it has no constitutional or legal authority to act on behalf of the party.
It maintained that the recognized leadership of the ADC remains in charge of the party’s affairs.
According to the statement released on Wednesday, the clarification became necessary to stop attempts to create confusion about the party’s position ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group said the ADC had not entered into any alliance, merger or coalition with any political party.
added that the party remains independent and intends to contest the elections with its own structure, manifesto and leadership.
The faction said it believes Uba has the experience, character and capacity to lead the country if elected in 2027.
It also warned Atiku against presenting himself as the ADC’s presidential candidate, saying such a claim is false and could mislead party members and the public.
The group added that the ADC would not allow its platform to be used by politicians pursuing personal ambitions or by coalition groups seeking to take over the party’s structure.
It said every constitutional and legal step would be taken to protect the party from what it described as unauthorised use of its name and platform.
The faction also dismissed reports suggesting that there were plans to stop the ADC from participating in the 2027 elections, expressing confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission and the country’s electoral process.
It said the party is preparing to present candidates for the presidency, governorships, National Assembly, state assemblies and local government elections across the country.
Three brothers have appeared before the Mbabane Magistrates Court in Swaziland on a murder charge following the brutal de@th of their mother’s boyfriend.
The accused, Mlondi Mbuli, 25, Sakhelwe Mbuli, 18, and Lindani Mdziniso, 23, all from the Hholoshini area in Eswatini’s Hhohho Region, are alleged to have fatally assaulted Njabulo Ngwenya on June 28, 2026.
According to police, the brothers att@cked Ngwenya with bricks, stones, sticks, open hands, and kicks to different parts of his body. Investigators allege the assa¥lt was motivated by the brothers’ belief that Ngwenya was having a relationship with their biological mother.
Court records state that the incident was reported after Sibongile Motsa, also from Hholoshini, informed police that she discovered her son, Njabulo Ngwenya, lying deed inside her sister’s house at about 1 a.m. on June 28, 2026.
The matter came before Principal Magistrate Sfiso Vilakati during the trio’s initial court appearance.
The three defendants have been remanded in custody until July 10, 2026, pending committal of the case to the High Court for further proceedings.
Disclaimer: NDLEA alerts public on fraudulent auction offers impersonating officials
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