From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
U.S. President, Joe Biden has reversed the visa ban imposed on Nigeria and other countries by his predecessor, Donald Trump.
The ban that Biden ended is among the 17 executive orders, memorandums and proclamations he signed hours after his inauguration, yesterday.
The ban restricted immigrant visas for people from Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Eritrea as well as for certain others from Venezuela and Tanzania. It also blocked entry to most people from Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and North Korea.
Biden also signed an executive action ending restrictions on travel and immigration from some predominantly Muslim countries. The measure directs the State Department to resume visa processing for those countries and develop a plan to address people affected, such as those who were denied entry to the U.S.
Meanwhile, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated President Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States.
Atiku, in a statement, yesterday, urged the new U.S. administration to help Nigeria in her war against terror by providing the required assistance to win the war against insurgency.
The former vice president, while urging the Biden administration to strengthen US-Nigeria ties, had also called for the removal of travel restrictions on Nigerian citizens.
“As President Joe Biden begins his tenure as the 46th President of the United States of America, I am confident that this new era will mark the regeneration of America, and her reaffirmation as the beacon of democracy to the world.
“As I congratulate President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, I urge them and their administration to strengthen US-Nigeria ties, and help our beloved nation’s war on terror by providing every type of support required to win our war against the insurgency we face and that threatens the peace of our sub region.”