Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said negligent government officials rather than the entire Nigerian population ought to have been targeted iby he recently announced ban on issuance of immigration visas.
But for the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) Atiku Abubakar’s ignorance of the difference between a visa ban and a visa restriction is worrisome.
In a statement on Saturday, Atiku expressed sadness at the new US government policy.
His words: “While I understand the reasons given by the Trump administration (the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration to share information and to address issues of terrorism), the ban does not take into account the pro-American sentiments of the Nigerian public and the solidarity previous Nigerian administrations have had with the United States.
“I urge the government of President Donald Trump to consider the history of US-Nigerian relationships. Nigeria was one of the few African nations that joined the US led coalition during Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1991, when the United States championed the liberation of Kuwait.
“The Trump administration may also consider the pivotal role Nigeria, in partnership with the US, played in bringing peace to Liberia, an American sphere of influence, that now enjoys democracy because Nigerian blood and money paved the way for peace in that nation.
“Nigeria has also consistently voted in support of the United States and her allies at the United Nations and other multi-lateral world bodies. This is even as we are perhaps the biggest trading partner that the United States has in Africa, even where we had alternatives.
“Nigerians love the United States and have been a major force for the positive development of that great nation: 77 per cent of all Black doctors in the United States are Nigerians. Nigerians are also the most educated immigrant community in America BAR NONE. Surely, the US stands to benefit if it allows open borders with a country like Nigeria that is able to provide skilled, hardworking and dedicated personnel in a two-way traffic.
“The current Nigerian administration may have its deficiencies and deep faults, but the Nigeria people ought not to be punished for their inefficiencies.
“Once again, I call on President Trump to consider adopting measures that individually target those in government who have failed in their duties, rather than target the entire Nigerian population.”
The BMO Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, Said in a statement: “The United States (US) visa restriction, engendered by the US Department of Homeland Security, is symbolic; to show security concern over two issues. One is the printing of the Nigerian passport, and the other is the storage of data and other vital information on the holders of the Passport.
“Now, these are crucial matters in a world where information sharing is of the utmost essence in the face of security challenges everywhere. The Nigerian passport was being printed by a company in Malaysia before the PDP gave it out to an Irish company”.
“In one breath, the contract was to last for four years, but in another breath, it was agreed that the said contract would not lapse until the company has printed 10million copies of the travel document.
“As we speak, only three million copies of the Nigerian passport has been printed by this company. This and the huge volume of vital information being held by this Irish company has created a huge security nightmare for concerned security agencies”
According to the BMO, The International Criminal Police Organization more commonly known as INTERPOL had actually reported that Nigeria was not sharing information.
“So Nigerians can see what problems the PDP has brought upon the country.
“In an effort to redress the situation, President Buhari gave a directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to domicile the printing of the nation’s passport at the Security Printing and Minting Corporation.
“Unfortunately, this directive could not be executed because of legal issues raised by the Irish company contracted by the PDP government.
“No doubt the embarrassing inclusion of Nigeria in the travel restriction by the US is one of the prices we have to pay for the crimes of past PDP governments and their proclivity to shoddy handling of sensitive matters of state while they wallow in money laundering and other financial crimes.”