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Mali, Burkina Faso Join Chad And Niger In Blocking Americans Amid Visa Dispute.
Mali and Burkina Faso have announced bans on U.S. citizens entering their territories in retaliation for visa restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, increasing the number of African countries taking reciprocal action to four.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to government officials, the decisions were communicated in separate statements by the foreign ministries of both West African nations. The series of retaliatory measures began on June 6, 2025, when Chad suspended visa issuance for U.S. citizens. President Mahamat Deby explained that the move adhered to “the principles of reciprocity,” emphasizing national pride and dignity.
On December 25, 2025, Niger followed suit, indefinitely halting visa issuance and barring entry to American nationals. An official statement noted that Niger had “completely and indefinitely suspended the issuance of all visas to citizens of the United States of America and has prohibited the entry of US nationals into the territory of Niger.”
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Karamoko Traore, confirmed the country’s reciprocal ban, stating, “In response to the recent measures taken by the United States restricting entry for Burkinabe citizens, the Government of Burkina Faso is applying equivalent visa measures on United States nationals.” Similarly, Mali’s government announced, “In accordance with the principle of reciprocity and with immediate effect, the Government of the Republic of Mali will apply the same conditions and requirements to American nationals as those imposed by the American authorities on Malian citizens entering the United States of America.”
The wave of reciprocal actions stems from Proclamation 10998, signed by former U.S. President Donald Trump on June 4, 2025, which initially suspended entry for immigrants and non-immigrants from 12 countries, including Chad. By December 16, 2025, the travel restrictions had expanded to 19 nations, with eight additional countries—including Burkina Faso, Mali, Laos, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Syria, and Niger—added to the full restriction list effective January 1, 2026.
The proclamation also imposed partial travel bans on 20 other countries, including Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, limiting immigration and entry to the United States. Exemptions were allowed for diplomats, students, athletes, lawful permanent residents, and individuals already in the U.S. with valid visas.
Officials in Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger have criticized the U.S. measures as discriminatory and unjustified, framing the collective response as a defense of national dignity. The four former French colonies now form a unified bloc opposing the restrictive U.S. travel policies.
Bamidele Kehinde, Director of Dynamic Ambassadors for Social Orientation Initiatives and the City Transformation Project, has expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria for its efforts in securing the release of Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, who was reportedly held in detention in the Republic of Benin for over two years under difficult conditions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Pastor Egbaji, a Nigerian cleric, was said to have endured harsh treatment during his detention, including prolonged confinement. His release followed a presidential pardon granted by the authorities in Benin Republic under President Patrice Talon.
Speaking on News Central TV, Dr. Kehinde praised the diplomatic efforts that led to the cleric’s freedom, describing the process as lengthy and challenging. He noted that significant progress was achieved after Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
He stated that although there was no personal connection or financial influence involved, the minister actively engaged Benin Republic authorities through diplomatic channels. According to him, her visit and negotiations played a key role in securing Pastor Egbaji’s release.
Dr. Kehinde also commended all individuals and institutions that contributed to the advocacy efforts, including Moses Eyo, Dickson Umu Unung, the Cross River State Government, CP Alobi Lawrence (rtd), Joseph Bisong Ayi, Blessing Harrison, Eze Sampson, and Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo.
He said their combined efforts were instrumental in achieving the cleric’s freedom.
He added that while Egbaji’s release is a major relief, the cleric now faces the task of recovering and rebuilding his life after years of hardship. He called for continued support to help him reintegrate into society.
Dr. Kehinde also urged stronger government commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad and enhancing diplomatic engagement across West Africa to prevent similar cases in the future.
The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has provided an update on its ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The board stated that 1,120,491 applications were successfully completed and processed, allowing candidates to proceed to the computer-based test (CBT) stage.
It also disclosed that 432,935 applications were left incomplete, while 360,923 applicants were disqualified during screening and shortlisting for failing to meet the required criteria.
In total, the recruitment exercise recorded over 1.8 million applications across the country.
The exercise covers agencies under the board, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, and the Nigeria Correctional Service.
CDCFIB also released a breakdown of CBT performance, showing that 221,996 candidates scored between 0–40, 229,155 scored between 41–60, 278,543 scored between 61–80, while 142,697 scored between 81–100.
The recruitment process is now expected to move to the next stage, which includes physical screening and document verification. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted with details of their screening venues, dates, and required documents.
The board reiterated that the entire process is free of charge and advised applicants to rely only on official communication channels for updates, warning against misinformation and unauthorized messages circulating online.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that its Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI conducted precise airstrikes in the Yuwe axis of the Sambisa Forest, resulting in the elimination of several terrorist elements on Monday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, who noted that military operations in the North-East continue to maintain strong pressure on insurgent groups.
He explained that the operation was based on credible intelligence, supported by Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities, which identified active terrorist presence within fortified positions and underground hideouts.
According to him, NAF air platforms successfully engaged the targets using precision-guided munitions, destroying the structures, neutralising multiple terrorists, and dismantling key logistics facilities. This was later confirmed through battle damage assessments.
The statement added that sustained air operations have continued to weaken terrorist networks, disrupting their activities and forcing them into more defensive and unstable responses.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, also reiterated the Air Force’s commitment to maintaining continuous, intelligence-driven operations aimed at completely neutralising terrorist threats.
He further assured that the NAF remains focused on protecting its personnel, safeguarding national security, and ensuring the safety of citizens, while continuing precision operations in line with strict rules of engagement to minimise civilian impact.
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