Shehu Sani criticises US visa restrictions on Nigeria and others, calling the policy exclusionary and urging affected citizens to build their countries

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, on Wednesday criticised the United States visa restrictions imposed on Nigeria and 23 other countries, describing the policy as exclusionary towards what he called third world migrants.

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Shehu Sani reacted after United States President Donald Trump announced expanded entry restrictions on foreign nationals from 24 countries, citing persistent deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information sharing that pose security risks.

Nigeria was listed among several African countries affected by the new measures, alongside Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, and others.

Reacting via his official X account, Shehu Sani said the policy sent a troubling signal to affected nations and their citizens.

Shehu Sani said the first phase of the visa restrictions targeted individuals linked to religious persecution, which many Nigerians initially believed applied only to government officials.

He said the second phase extended the restrictions to ordinary citizens, with Nigeria now included among the affected countries.

The former lawmaker questioned the composition of the list, noting that it largely featured African and Caribbean nations.

Shehu Sani said the absence of Arab countries from the list, despite security concerns being cited, raised questions about selective application.

He said the message of the policy was clear, adding that third world migrants were no longer welcome.

Shehu Sani urged affected citizens to remain in their home countries and focus on addressing domestic challenges.

The White House said the proclamation imposes a full suspension on eight countries and a partial suspension on 16 others.

According to a White House fact sheet, the restrictions affect immigrants and nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visa categories.

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The administration said the measures were necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals whose risks could not be adequately assessed.