United States President Donald Trump has expressed grave concern over the continued presence of Boko Haram, the Islamic State and other terrorist cells operating within Nigerian territory.
The American leader identified the activities of these jihadist groups as a principal factor behind Nigeria’s inclusion on the list of countries facing travel restrictions to the United States.
“Radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State operate freely in certain parts of Nigeria,” Trump declared in his proclamation on Tuesday.
Trump also cited visa overstay statistics in his proclamation, noting that Nigeria recorded a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 5.56 per cent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 11.90 per cent.
However, analysts believe the terrorism concerns were the primary driver of Nigeria’s listing, particularly as the West African nation maintains one of the lowest overstay rates among the 15 countries newly subjected to restrictions.
Data from the White House Fact Sheet, reviewed by DAILY POST, revealed that several other African nations recorded significantly higher overstay rates than Nigeria.
Angola registered a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 14.43 per cent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 21.92 per cent. Benin recorded rates of 12.34 per cent and 36.77 per cent respectively, while Cote d’Ivoire posted 8.47 per cent and 19.09 per cent.
Gabon’s overstay rates stood at 13.72 per cent for B-1/B-2 visas and 17.77 per cent for F, M, and J visas. The Gambia recorded 12.70 per cent and 38.79 per cent respectively.
Malawi had the highest B-1/B-2 overstay rate at 22.45 per cent, alongside an F, M, and J rate of 31.99 per cent. Mauritania recorded a B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 9.49 per cent, while Senegal posted 4.30 per cent and 13.07 per cent respectively. Tanzania’s rates stood at 8.30 per cent and 13.97 per cent.
Trump’s latest action comes as little surprise to close observers of his administration’s recent focus on Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly the targeting of Christian communities across multiple regions.
On October 31, Trump designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act, a classification reserved for nations experiencing severe violations of religious freedom.
The US President subsequently threatened to deploy American forces to eliminate the terrorists responsible for the widespread violence, a statement that drew reactions from global powers including China and Russia.
In November, the Trump administration initiated a high-profile discussion at the United Nations focusing on violence against Christians in Nigeria, where American rapper Nicki Minaj was invited to address delegates after demonstrating support for the campaign.
During the same period, US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, alleged that the atrocities in Nigeria are being carried out by “Boko Haram and 22 other Muslim extremist terrorist groups”.
Last month, Congressman Riley Moore led a US congressional delegation on a fact-finding mission to Nigeria to assess the persecution of Christians and evaluate the broader security situation.
Moore described his observations as “heartbreaking,” and announced plans to develop “a strategic security framework” to confront the ISIS and Boko Haram threat, as well as address what he termed “the genocide against Christians by the radical Fulani Muslims in the Middle Belt”.
