The US Embassy in Nigeria has confirmed that some Nigerians are facing visa cancellations under Trump’s security policy, citing overstays, criminal activity, or national security concerns
US Embassy Confirms Visa Revocations for Nigerians Under Trump’s Security Policy
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has responded to mounting concerns over reports that valid visas belonging to some Nigerians are being quietly revoked without explanation or appeal.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos, the embassy clarified that the cancellations are part of President Donald Trump’s security measures, stressing that the increased vetting applies to all of the more than 55 million foreigners holding valid US visas, not just Nigerians.
Responding to an enquiry, the embassy said visas were being cancelled in situations where a foreign visitor — including students — overstays their lawful period of admission, engages in criminal activity, or provides material support to a terrorist organisation.
“The Trump Administration is protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” the embassy said.
“Prohibiting entry to the United States by those who might pose a threat to US national security or public safety is key to protecting US citizens at home. Every prospective traveler to the United States undergoes interagency security vetting.”
The clarification follows alarm raised last week by Olufemi Soneye, former spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), who described the trend as “unsettling.”
Soneye noted that dozens of Nigerians, including professionals and entrepreneurs, had received letters directing them to submit their passports at consulates in Lagos or Abuja, only to have their visas cancelled without explanation.
“What makes this development even more alarming is the veil of silence surrounding it,” he wrote. “The notices cite Title 22, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 41.122 as the legal basis, vaguely stating that ‘new information became available after the visa was issued.’ Beyond that, nothing is explained. No evidence is shared. No avenue for appeal is offered.”
He added that some Nigerians only discovered their visas had been revoked at airports, with a few briefly detained by immigration authorities before being sent home.
The embassy, however, emphasized that the revocations are in line with long-existing laws under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), noting that Section 221(i) gives the Secretary of State and consular officers discretion to revoke visas at any time if there is a suspicion of ineligibility.
“While we have had this revocation authority for decades, we are using all the information we have to do this on a scale never seen before, in order to keep American borders secure and American communities safe,” the embassy added.
