The United States (U.S.) Department which announced the imposition of visa restrictions on Nigerians who were involved in trying to or undermined democracy in the concluded 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections, says it is committed to working with the government and people of Nigeria for the successful implementation of the democratisation process.
According to Morgan Ortagus, spokeswoman of the department, “These individuals have operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and undermined democratic principles and human rights.
“The Department of State emphasises that the actions announced today are specific to certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people or the newly elected government,” Ortagus added.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari won a second term in office in February in an election characterized by logistical problems, violence and killings. Almost all the states in the country witnessed one form of violence or the other, some of which were abetted by the security agencies and appointed and elected politicians. It got so bad, that the United States of America and the European Union had to issue statements, stating their readiness to impose visa ban restrictions on anti-democratic elements within the establishment.
The department, however, did not list the names of the individuals or say how many were affected by the visa ban, but it clearly pointed out that it was for those who undermined the process.
