Confusion grows as FG stays silent on US visa cancellations

The Nigerian government has yet to make a statement following reports that the United States Embassy has been quietly cancelling visas already granted to Nigerian citizens.

In an article published on Premium Times, Olufemi Soneye, a former spokesperson of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), raised concern about what he described as “silent visa revocations.”

According to Soneye, several Nigerians — including professionals, businesspeople, frequent travellers, and families — have recently received letters from the US Embassy.

The letters asked them to submit their passports at the consulate in Lagos or Abuja. However, after submission, their visas were revoked without any explanation.

The cancellation letters reportedly cited Title 22, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 41.122, saying that “new information became available after the visa was issued.” No details or evidence were provided, and the embassy offered no chance for appeal. Affected individuals were only advised to reapply if they wished.

Those impacted include a well-known journalist, the head of a federal government agency who was scheduled to speak abroad, and an Abuja-based entrepreneur with a clean travel record. Others rely on visas for education, family reunions, medical treatment, and key business activities.

Soneye criticized the embassy’s silence, saying: “Beyond that, nothing is explained. No evidence is shared.

No avenue for appeal is offered. Recipients are merely advised to reapply if they wish – an instruction that provides no comfort to those suddenly stripped of their mobility.”

As of the time of reporting, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not responded to the issue.