{"id":102741,"date":"2023-01-25T19:31:10","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T18:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=102741"},"modified":"2023-01-25T19:31:10","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T18:31:10","slug":"us-slams-visa-ban-on-nigerians-undermining-democracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/us-slams-visa-ban-on-nigerians-undermining-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"US slams visa ban on Nigerians undermining democracy\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"m#msg-f:1756019704499497333\" class=\"mail-message expanded\">\n<div class=\"mail-message-header spacer\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States has announced visa restrictions on some Nigerians accused of undermining democracy, noting that this was part of the action to advance democracy and tackle corruption in Nigeria.<\/div>\n<div class=\"mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images \" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<div class=\"clear\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said that the sanctioned individuals, whose name he did not reveal, would be ineligible for US visas.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">The top-ranking diplomat also explained that some family members of those barred from the US may also be subjected to the same restriction.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">He stated, \u201dWe are committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Nigeria and around the world. Today, I am announcing visa restrictions on specific individuals in Nigeria for undermining the democratic process in a recent Nigerian election.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u2018\u2019Under Section 212(a)(3)C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, these individuals will be found ineligible for visas to the United States under a policy to restrict visas of those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Nigeria.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u2018\u2019Certain family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions. Additional persons who undermine the democratic process in Nigeria\u2014including in the lead-up to, during, and following Nigeria\u2019s 2023 elections\u2014may be found ineligible for U.S. visas under this policy.\u2019\u2019<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">Blinken clarified that the visa restriction was not targeted at the Nigerian people or the government.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">He described it as a reflection of the US government\u2019s commitment to supporting Nigeria\u2019s aspiration to combat corruption and strengthen democracy and the rule of law.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u2018\u2019The visa restrictions announced today are specific to certain individuals and are not directed at the Nigerian people or the Government of Nigeria. The decision to impose visa restrictions reflects the commitment of the United States to support Nigerian aspirations to combat corruption and strengthen democracy and the rule of law,\u2019\u2019 the statement said.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">The development is coming barely two months after the political counselor at the US Embassy in Nigeria, Rolf Olson, said that the US would impose visa sanctions on people who try to undermine Nigeria\u2019s democratic process.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">Speaking at the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship alumni association seminar last November, Olson said sanctions had been placed on persons who undermined the nation\u2019s election before and would be repeated in the next election.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">He said, \u2018\u2019Even a small number of troublemakers can cause substantial havoc to an election. It takes a comprehensive effort to try to eliminate the use of violence and inflammatory rhetoric.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u201cIndividuals seeking to undermine the democratic process, including through violence, may be found ineligible for visas to the United States. We have imposed visa restrictions in the past against those responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process, and remain fully willing to do so again in the context of the upcoming elections.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mail-message-footer spacer collapsible\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The United States has announced visa restrictions on some Nigerians accused of undermining democracy, noting that this was part of the action to advance democracy and tackle corruption in Nigeria.&hellip;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93953,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - 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