The Presidency has debunked claims that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted the ban on visa services to Nigerians.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga disclosed this via his “X” page on Tuesday.
TheFact Daily recalled that the UAE had implemented a ban on citizens from approximately 20 African nations including Nigeria from entering its borders.
The affected countries include; Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cameroon, Liberia, Burundi, Republic of Guinea, Gambia, Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast, Congo, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Comoros, and the Dominican Republic.
As a result of the ban, both countries have been embroiled in a diplomatic dispute concerning flight allocations and travel restrictions.
President Tinubu upon assumption of office, directed the resolution of a diplomatic spat with the UAE over the suspension of Nigerian visas in retaliation for Lagos’s retention of funds owed to the Emirates.
He told the ambassador that both nations should agree on core aviation and immigration issues.
However, Onanuga said, UAE has not resumed issuance of Visa to Nigerians.
According to him, “UAE has not resumed visa issuance to Nigerians. The document in circulation is not authorized either by the Nigerian government or the UAE,” he said.
