The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Monday described the purported inclusion of Nigeria on the United States travel restriction as ill-conceived.
Mohammed, who stated this in London during an interview session with Reuters News Agency, said the federal government would respond comprehensively to the US government’s move if it turns out to be true.
He said: “On the issue of the travel ban our position is that it is still speculative because we are yet to be communicated. When we are communicated we will respond comprehensively.
“However, in our view it was not well thought out but based largely on negative narratives spread by naysayers.
“I know that we are working very well with our neighbours to ensure that terrorism is addressed. We are working with international community including the European Union and the US.
“Our advice to the US is that it should have rethink on the issue because any travel ban is bound to affect investment and growth in the country and those who will be affected are the most vulnerable people in Nigeria.”
Reports had said President Donald Trump planned to add Belarus, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania to its existing list of countries on US travel ban.
On border closure, the minister told Reuters that Nigeria took the hard decision because the country’s neighbours – Benin Republic and Niger Republic – failed to respect the ECOWAS Treaty on Transit of Goods.