Reasons For Nigeria’s U.S DV-Lottery Ban

Jeffery Hawkins, U.S. Consul-
General, on Thursday, gave
reasons why Nigeria was banned
from participating in its 2015
Diversity-Visa-Programme
registration.
Mr Hawkins told journalists at the
U.S. Consulate General in Lagos,
that Nigeria was among other
countries that had in the last five
years, sent more than 50,000
immigrants to the U.S. through
the programme.
"As at today, Nigerians have
graduated from being under-
represented to being a fully well
represented group in the U.S," he
said. "There is therefore no longer
any need to encourage Nigerians
to apply to travel to the U.S.
through the Diversity-Visa-
Programme. Already there are too
many Nigerians in the U.S. that
have benefited from this
programme."
The envoy explained that the
diversity visa was created to
promote countries with low rates of
immigration to the US.
He, however, said that the U.S.
authorities would continue to give
preference to Nigerians travelling
to U.S for visits, business
transactions, studies and
professional engagements.
"All other types of immigration
from Nigeria to the US, apart from
the diversity visa, would continue
unabated," he said. "Also, let me
say that the ban has nothing to do
with our relations with Nigeria now,
and in the years ahead."
He also dismissed insinuations
making the rounds that the move
was to reduce the number of
Nigerians travelling to the U.S.
The U.S official also said that the
development had "nothing to do
with insecurity, activities of Boko
Haram and other forms of
upheaval in Nigeria".
The U.S. Department of State
recently banned Nigeria,
Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China,
Colombia, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador and Haiti from
participating in the 2015 Diversity-
Visa-Programme. Other affected
countries are: India, Jamaica,
Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines,
South Korea, U. K. and Vietnam.