Atiku’s Visa Status Is Classified Information – U.S Consulate

Following renewed controversies that have trailed the visa status of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the U.S. Consulate in Lagos has said on Friday that the status of the 2019 presidential candidate’s visa remains confidential, just as any U.S visa applicant’s details are classified.

Mr Brussel Brooks, the Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, said the U.S government will not for any reason divulge the details of Atiku’s visa status to the public.

Brooks said this during an education forum that held in Oyo State.

Recall the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had during a press conference on Thursday warned that granting Atiku U.S visa would amount to an endorsement of the 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the U.S government.

But the U.S Consulate official said Atiku’s visa status has been an issue in the media, but “the position of the U.S. Mission has remained the same throughout any discussion of this issue, that visas are confidential matters”.

“We don’t discuss individual visa’s status of any person, whether it be a highly rated official, a presidential candidate or an average citizen.

“Anyone who applies for a visa should know that there will be some records that are confidential. It is classified as private documents by the United States Government, and we never discuss them in public.

“Often times, unfortunately, campaigns are full of distractions, things that are not that important to the lives and welfare of average Nigerians, especially the children that are with us today. What is important for them is to give them the opportunities to serve in order to thrive in today’s world.

“This means they need a good education. The school should be improved. I will also encourage parents and voters to ask the candidates what they plan to do to improve education. I think issue-based campaigns will be beneficial to all Nigerians,” said Brooks.