The US imposed new travel restrictions on Nigeria, further worsening ties between the two countries.
Nigeria is one of 12 additional African countries — which also include Angola, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia — that now face new limits on visiting the US. The move came after US President Donald Trump threatened Abuja with sanctions and military action over the treatment of its Christian population. The White House alleges that Islamist militants in Nigeria are systematically targeting Christians, accusations Nigerian authorities deny.
Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan are, meanwhile, among the latest entrants to an expanded group of 19 countries that now face a full travel ban. The White House said it was restricting entry of foreign nationals “to prevent national security and public safety threats,” but its measures have come under sharp criticism from rights groups and the UN.