The United States has introduced new travel restrictions that may require Nigerians applying for B1/B2 business and tourism visas to post financial bonds of up to $15,000, as Washington tightens entry conditions for nationals of countries it classifies as high risk.

Under the new policy announced by the U.S. State Department on Tuesday, applicants from 38 countries, 24 of them in Africa, including Nigeria, may be required to provide visa bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, depending on the assessment made during their visa interview. The measures will take effect on different dates, with Nigeria’s implementation scheduled to begin on January 21.

According to the State Department notice, “any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.” Applicants will also be required to submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 and agree to the bond terms through the U.S. Treasury Department’s Pay.gov platform, regardless of where the visa application is submitted.

The department stressed that payment of a bond does not guarantee the issuance of a visa, warning that fees paid without the direction of a consular officer will not be refunded.

Nigerians who post the required bonds and obtain visas will also be restricted to entering the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

Refunds of the bonds will only be made if the Department of Homeland Security confirms that the visa holder departed the United States on or before the authorised date of stay, if the applicant does not travel before the visa expires, or if the traveller applies for entry and is denied admission at a U.S. port of entry.

The development comes barely a week after partial U.S. travel restrictions on Nigeria took effect. On December 16, Nigeria was listed among 15 mostly African countries placed under partial travel suspensions, alongside Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, and The Gambia.

Explaining Nigeria’s inclusion, U.S. authorities cited the continued activity of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in parts of the country, which they said created “substantial screening and vetting difficulties.” The U.S. also referenced visa overstay rates of 5.56 percent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 percent for F, M, and J visas.

As a result of the designation, the suspension covers both immigrant visas and several non-immigrant categories, including B1, B2, B1/B2, F, M, and J visas.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and two others, bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties.

The sureties, according to the judge, must have landed property in Asokoro, Maitama, Gwarinpa.

He added that they must submit their travelling documents to the court.

The documents of the properties are to be verified by the deputy chief registrar of the court while the sureties are also to depose to affidavit of means.

Malami was also ordered to deposit his travelling documents with the court and must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.

The former AGF and his sureties were also ordered to deposit their two recent passport photograph with the court.

Meanwhile, Malami has been ordered to be remanded in Kuje prison pending his perfection of the bail conditions.

Justice Nwite subsequently fixed February 17 for commencement of trial of the corruption charges.

The same bail were extended to Malami, son Abdulaziz Malami, and an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, Hajia Asabe Bashir,.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a 16-count alleged money laundering charge against Malami, his son and his wife.

Traffic was significantly disrupted on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos on Tuesday afternoon after a high-capacity commercial bus caught fire, authorities said.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the incident occurred at about 1:00 pm near the Adekunle area of the bridge on the inbound lane toward Iyana Oworo axis.

In posts on its official X account, LASTMA confirmed the bus blaze was slowing traffic on one of Africa’s busiest bridges. Officials said efforts were underway to extinguish the fire, with Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service personnel at the scene.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or casualties, and the cause of the fire is still unknown.

The Third Mainland Bridge, which spans about 11.8 kilometres and connects Lagos Island to the mainland, handles heavy daily traffic and is often affected by accidents and other incidents.