National

Immigration Crackdown: Nigeria Listed Among Countries to Face US Visa Ban

Published

9 months ago

June 16, 2025

Eric

Nigeria has been listed among 36 countries that could face new travel restrictions to the United States under a proposed expansion of the Trump administration’s travel ban, according to a State Department memo reported by The Washington Post.

The extensive list includes 25 African nations, several Caribbean countries, Central Asian states, and Pacific Island nations. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with over 200 million people, is the largest population that could be affected by the proposed restrictions.

Countries given a 60-day timeline

The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent Saturday to US diplomats working with the affected countries, gives the listed governments 60 days to meet new benchmarks established by the State Department. Countries must provide initial action plans by 8 am on Wednesday, showing how they will address the requirements.

The document outlines various issues the administration believes these countries need to address. Some nations are described as having “no competent or cooperative central government authority to produce reliable identity documents or other civil documents,” whilst others allegedly suffer from “widespread government fraud.” Additionally, the memo cites high numbers of visa overstays by citizens from certain countries.

Furthermore, other factors mentioned include the availability of citizenship through investment programmes without residency requirements, and claims of “antisemitic and anti-American activity in the United States” by people from those countries. However, the memo states that countries willing to accept third-country nationals removed from the US or enter “safe third country” agreements could mitigate other concerns.

The timing for implementing potential restrictions remains unclear if countries do not meet the demands.

Complete list of affected countries

The 36 countries under review are: Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominica; Ethiopia; Egypt; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Ivory Coast; Kyrgyzstan; Liberia; Malawi; Mauritania; Niger; Nigeria; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; South Sudan; Syria; Tanzania; Tonga; Tuvalu; Uganda; Vanuatu; Zambia; and Zimbabwe.

This proposal would significantly expand restrictions already implemented on 4th June, which fully restricted entry from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. In addition to these complete bans, the US also partially restricted travellers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela under that order.

Source: BusinessDay

National

Nine Senators Announce Defection to ADC

Published

18 hours ago

March 12, 2026

Eric

Nine senators on Thursday announced their defection from their various parties to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Five of the senators dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), three left the Labour Party (LP), and one from the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

The defectors from PDP are Senators Dauda Yaroe, Lawal Usman, Ogochi Onawe, Aminu Tambuwal and Austin Akubondu.

The LP defectors are Senators Ireti Kingibe, Victor Umeh and Tony Nwoye.

Eight of the senators who dumped the PDP and LP cited leadership crises in their parties for their defection.

However, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe said he dumped APGA because the party sacked him in September 2025.

National

Police Council Confirms Tunji Disu As Substantive IGP

Published

2 weeks ago

March 2, 2026

Eric

The National Police Council has confirmed Olatunji Disu as the substantive Inspector-General of Police.

His name is now to be sent to the Senate for screening.

President Bola Tinubu appointed Disu as the acting IGP on February 25, 2026, following the resignation of former IGP Kayode Egbetokun.

Tinubu, in a statement by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, had said he would convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as substantive IGP, after which his name would be transmitted to the Senate for confirmation,” he said.

The former AIG assumed office as the acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) last Wednesday.

Disu, 59, took over the reins as Nigeria’s new police chief at a brief ceremony at the Louis Edet House in Abuja, shortly after President Bola Tinubu decorated him as the acting IGP.

Until his appointment, Disu served as Assistant Inspector-General in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.

He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police last year.

National

JAMB Warns Against AI-Driven UTME Fraud, Vows Sanctions for Candidates, Parents

Published

2 weeks ago

March 1, 2026

Eric

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced tough measures against candidates and parents found culpable in examination malpractice, warning that the era of leniency is over.

Speaking in Abuja on Saturday, the Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, said the Board was alarmed by recent discoveries of organised fraud networks targeting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). He described the trend as a serious assault on merit and fairness within Nigeria’s education system.

Oloyede explained that JAMB had over the years committed substantial financial and technological resources to preserving the credibility of its examinations, stressing that these measures were designed to protect millions of diligent candidates who rely solely on hard work.

Investigations, he disclosed, uncovered criminal groups deploying artificial intelligence tools to impersonate JAMB officials and extort unsuspecting candidates. More troubling, according to him, was the active participation of some candidates and their parents, who knowingly paid for illicit assistance.

“The students and their parents are willing collaborators and cannot be regarded as innocent,” the Registrar said.

He revealed that over 100 candidates were linked to the scheme, with 83 confirmed to have made payments across 25 states, indicating that the malpractice is neither regional nor isolated.
He said the Board had forwarded recommendations to the Minister of Education, including the cancellation of affected registrations.

Oloyede also refuted claims circulating in some quarters that JAMB had increased its registration fees, describing the allegation as false and urging the public to report any centre charging above the approved rate.

As part of immediate corrective steps, several Computer-Based Test centres have been sanctioned, with some suspended from further participation in the examination process.

Dismissing suggestions that the Board should negotiate with offenders, the Registrar maintained that criminal conduct must be addressed through lawful channels.
“Why should we now be negotiating with criminals?” he asked, noting that suspects who left the country after previous examinations would be referred to security agencies for due process.

He emphasised that paying for examination fraud constitutes a criminal offence, warning that ignorance would no longer be accepted as a defence. Membership in online groups offering illegal assistance, he added, could also attract penalties.

Addressing parents directly, Oloyede cautioned that financing malpractice undermines a child’s moral foundation and future prospects. Encouraging shortcuts, he noted, sends a dangerous message that dishonesty is an acceptable path to success.

The Registrar further confirmed that some school proprietors were among those arrested in connection with the fraud.

On JAMB’s capacity to confront increasingly sophisticated schemes, Oloyede expressed confidence in the Board’s upgraded technical systems and its collaboration with national security agencies. He stated that enhanced monitoring mechanisms now enable the detection of prohibited electronic devices during examinations.

He also expressed concern over the involvement of underage candidates in malpractice, attributing the trend partly to parental pressure and complicity.

While reiterating that JAMB’s core mandate is the administration of examinations, Oloyede appealed to the media to support efforts aimed at discouraging malpractice and promoting integrity within the education sector.