Terror watch on Nigeria: Borno Commissioner denied U.S. visa ‘over surname’
Written by Isa Umar Gusau, Maiduguri
Sunday, 10 January 2010 05:41
The United States of America may have begun stringent visa restriction as part of its planned terror surveillance on Nigeria because Borno State’s Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Mohammed Imam, who was billed to accompany Governor Ali Modu Sheriff to attend an annual World Agricultural Expo in Orlando, northern Florida in the United States has been allegedly denied visa for bearing ‘Imam’ as his surname, Sunday Trust gathered.

The US embassy in Abuja also told a Special Adviser on Housing to Governor Sheriff that he had no business attending the expo because his schedule of duties had no link with the event. The embassy equally denied visa to Sheriff’s Special Adviser on Agriculture for reasons not disclosed. The embassy, however, granted visa to Borno Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Kashim Shettima and another official. It was not clear if the governor already had a valid visa or was issued after the US placed Nigeria on its list of countries to be watched over terrorism.

Alhaji Imam, along with the two Special Advisers, all of whom were denied entry into the U.S attended VISA interviews December 28, 2009, which was three days after, Umar Faruk Mutallab allegedly made attempts to bomb a US bound aircraft on 25th December, 2009.

The officials were recommended to the US embassy in Abuja by the Borno State government to take part as delegates in the world agro expo which holds annually in different states of United States with the US Chamber of Commerce usually involved in the organisation of the event. The expo is expected to begin on 12th January, 2010 and will last for some days. Governor Sheriff and the two officials granted visa were scheduled to depart Nigeria via Lagos by between yesterday (Saturday) and today (Sunday).

Sources told our correspondent that the commissioner for commerce, whose ministry equally has dealings with Borno government’s participation in the expo, was merely denied visa because he has ‘Imam’ which is a title for a Muslim cleric that leads prayer in the mosque as his surname. The commissioner comes from a popular family in Borno which has produced leading Islamic scholars including chief Imams who lead prayers in mosque. His father is a retired Grand Khadi of the Shari’a court. The commissioner is known to have in the past, been granted visa into different countries, including the United Kingdom.

When contacted on phone, the commissioner said he wasn’t told by the embassy that he was denied the visa because of his surname. He said the embassy officials only told him that his application was going through administrative procedures, politely denying him entry to the US.

However, the commissioner insisted, “The issue of visa is not a right but a diplomatic privilege. Every country, including Nigeria decides who comes into the country at what time, may be the US is regulating the number of entries into its country, probably worldwide or even controlling the population for the expo we were going to attend. Millions of Nigerians are probably denied visa on daily basis to many countries, while millions are also granted visa. Its just a normal procedure

http://www.sunday.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2543:terror-watch-on-nigeria-borno-commissioner-denied-us-visa-over-surname&catid=41:latest-news&Itemid=26

hopefully this is the beginning of a long line of Nigerian officials that are denied entry into the U.S.

maybe they will finally come to their senses and stop destroying the country

what is the idiot going to do in the usa.
have they for once asked themselves why american govs don't come to nigeria?
america, pls, ban all nigerian officials from coming into ur country.

Honestly i'm disappointed in the embassy. I was expecting them to reject all their applications, why let the gov and his fellow embezzling roaches enter the US ?

Praise the lord, now i hope other embassies take a cue from this and deny more government officials and their families Visa. This would help Nigeria in no small measure and the government officials would suffers the consequences of thier mis-governance and there would be no place to run to in the event of a social upheaval.

Serves him right.

Did you i'diots even read the article?

Choco5:

Did you i'diots even read the article?

Name calling not sexy!

chidichris:

what is the slowpoke going to do in the usa.
have they for once asked themselves why american govs don't come to nigeria?
america, pls, ban all nigerian officials from coming into your country.

edoyad:

Honestly i'm disappointed in the embassy. I was expecting them to reject all their applications, why let the gov and his fellow embezzling roaches enter the US ?

GBAM!!!!

wirinet:

Praise the lord,

HALLELUJAH!!

Borno commissioner denied US VISA because of surname?
Pssf. . .Bloody lies. . .
Something else is underlying. . . .

MrCrackles:

Borno commissioner denied US VISA because of surname?
Pssf. . .Bloody lies. . .
Something else is underlying. . . .

I couldn't agree more. Anyway, me feel all of them should have been denied visas

whatalife:


The US embassy in Abuja also told a Special Adviser on Housing to Governor Sheriff that he had no business attending the expo because his schedule of duties had no link with the event. The embassy equally denied visa to Sheriff’s Special Adviser on Agriculture for reasons not disclosed. The embassy, however, granted visa to Borno Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Kashim Shettima and another official. It was not clear if the governor already had a valid visa or was issued after the US placed Nigeria on its list of countries to be watched over terrorism.

[size=25pt]I wonder what kind of dumb press we have in Nigeria that it now seems to thrive on sensational journalism ! [/size]

This is sheer orgasmic reporting! No concrete facts, just obtuse arousal tones

The visa denial scope should be expanded to Aondaka, Ogbulafor, OBJ, All members of senate and house, members of the FEC, all other govt agencies
so there