Abuja, Feb, 14, 2023 – President Muhammadu Buhari has called for the lifting of the blanket visa ban on Nigerians by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The UAE, had in October 2022, barred Nigerians from entering the country.
President Buhari made the request while condoling with the President of the UAE, Mohamed bin Zayed, on the death of his mother-in-law.
He urged his UAE counterpart to review the blanket visa ban imposed on Nigerians intending to travel to the UAE, recalling that mutually beneficial relations had existed between the two nations over the years.
He said the good relationship has crystallised into robust economic interactions and regular consultations on matters of common interest, including engagements at the highest political level.
A statement by one of the Presidential Spokesmen, Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Tuesday said that the president also requested for resumption of the suspended operations of Emirates Airline in Nigeria.
Buhari said that while he admitted that some Nigerians might be violating the laws of the UAE, but said that was not enough to impose a blanket ban on Nigerians.
He said no country, including Nigeria, would condone criminalities and illegal behaviours.
Buhari expressed the readiness of Nigeria to apply necessary sanctions through appropriate judicial processes against persons who commit criminal acts in the UAE. (GBN)
