President Bola Tinubu has issued a directive to freeze visas for federal government officials who intend to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
This directive applies to those who cannot provide evidence of direct involvement in UNGA’s official schedule of activities.
Tinubu’s instruction was communicated in a statement released on Monday.
“To prevent any misconduct in this matter, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria will follow specific guidelines for official visa processing. Additionally, Nigeria’s Permanent Mission in New York is instructed to prevent the accreditation of any government official who is not listed by the approving authority,” the statement stated.
“In line with this presidential directive, all Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies are required to ensure that approved officials for the UNGA delegation adhere strictly to the limited number of aides and associated staff participating in the event. Any excesses or anomalies identified will be removed during the final verification process,” it continued.
“The President affirms that moving forward, government officials and government spending must reflect the prudence and sacrifices being made by conscientious Nigerians nationwide,” the statement concluded.