Presidential aide advises Nigerians to postpone US trips

Nigerians who have no urgent reason to travel to the US have been advised to postpone their trips.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, senior special assistant to the president on foreign affairs and diaspora, gave the advice in a statement issued on Monday.

Dabiri-Erewa said it had become important to issue the warning after the reports of Nigerians being denied entry into the US.

“In the last few weeks, the office has received a few cases of Nigerians with valid multiple-entry US visas being denied entry and sent back to the Nigeria,” read a statement issued on her behalf by Abdurrahman Balogun, her media aide.

“In such cases reported to the office, such affected persons were sent back immediately on the next available flight and their visas were cancelled.”

Dabiri-Erewa said the US immigration authorities did not give reasons for the decision to turn back Nigerians.

She advised that the US be avoided until the Donald Trump administration’s policy on immigration is clear.

“This is only to advise Nigerians without any compelling or essential reasons to visit the US to consider rescheduling their trip until there is clarity on the new immigration policy,” she said.

Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians in the diaspora to abide by the rules and regulations of their host countries and be good ambassadors of the country.

There has been uncertainty around the world since Trump announced a travel ban few weeks after his inauguration.

The travel ban, which affected predominantly Muslim nations, has since been suspended by a court.

Trump is expected to roll out a revised immigration policy this week.