Ambassador Hakeem Balogun, the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington D.C. United States has said different reasons are responsible for the extreme vetting Nigerians face during entry into the United States.
Balogun, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Washington D.C., added that President Donald Trump’s travel ban did not affect Nigerians.
“The executive ban on immigration does not affect Nigerians. Whatever must have taken place regarding visa issuance, vetting at the airports, it’s all normal.
“All these things have been on even before President Trump. Let us get one thing well. That you are issued visa is not a guarantee that you will end up wherever you are going.
“It’s a global thing; it’s not just United States. Even with us in Nigeria, we issue a visa to you here in the Nigerian Embassy.
“There is no guarantee that you will get in when you get to Murtala Muhammed Airport or when you get to Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport.
“The final authority is the man at the point of entry – immigration officers. For instance, you can come to the embassy here, we ask for all the things you need to get the visa.
“How much do you have that we feel will be enough for you to stay in Nigeria for the period you are going.
“May be as of that time, you were able to show us evidence that you have a thousand dollars which we felt would be enough for you to stay in Nigeria.
“By the time you get to Murtala Muhammed Airport, the man at that end there asked you, all you had to show him was 100 dollars, definitely, he might turn you back and that’s normal,” he said.
Balogun also said Nigerians were restricted from entering the United States because they failed to meet other required procedures.
“Then, there are other things. What manner of visa did you collect to come to the United States?
“For instance, a pregnant woman who comes to the United States on visiting visa will probably be turned back at the point of entry because she does not have a medical visa.
“You are coming in on a visiting visa and the immigration man sees you pregnant. Naturally, he will turn you back.
“Even if you have the medical visa, they want to know if you have medical insurance; do you have your medical documents for you to be able to come and use their medical facilities here?
“So, these are issues. Nigeria is not being singled out. We are not one of those countries that have been mentioned. We are definitely not one of them,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Balogun has described the relationship between Nigeria and the United States as “very warm.”
Balogun told NAN that the relationship had improved since Muhammadu Buhari became president.
According to him, the Nigeria-United States relationship was not too good prior to the inauguration of Buhari as president.
“The relationship is quite good. It’s been very warm and lovely ever since the coming of this administration,” he said.
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