The Nigerian government says it will respond firmly to the new US visa policy that requires Nigerians to disclose their social media details from the past five years when applying for visas. On Monday, the US Mission to Nigeria announced that all visa applicants must list every social media account they have used in the last five years on the DS-160 form. The Mission warned that failing to provide this information could result in visa rejection and difficulty obtaining US visas in the future. Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the government was informed about these changes ahead of time, saying Nigeria plans to take reciprocal measures. We understand their position because visa rules are often reciprocal. If Nigerians must provide this information to get a US visa, then Americans applying to Nigeria might have to do the same – Ebienfa He added the government will hold a meeting involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, and National Intelligence Agency to decide the best response. For now, the Nigerian government’s planned retaliation could affect Americans seeking visas to Nigeria. The back-and-forth shows the sensitive nature of international travel rules and stresses the need for dialogue between countries.
VeryDarkMan caught on Ibom Air flight urging passengers to switch off phones and respect crew
Social media activist, VeryDarkMan was recently spotted inside an Ibom Air plane reminding passengers to follow safety rules, including switching off their phones. In a video that went viral on Sunday, Martins Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan, addressed passengers on an Ibom Air flight in pidgin English. He urged them to listen to flight attendants and follow aviation regulations for everyone’s safety. Please, with all due respect, if you know you won’t follow the rules, it’s better you collect your money back and come down. If you disobey and they drag you, whether your body is exposed or not, it will still be posted online. Nobody’s life should be risked because of pride or arrogance VeryDarkMan explained that phones can interfere with aircraft systems, stressing the importance of switching them off during flights. He also warned passengers against disrespecting the crew, saying anyone who causes trouble risks being exposed online. This incident comes shortly after two high-profile flight dramas involving Nigerian celebrities and Ibom Air passengers. On August 5, Fuji musician KWAM 1 was removed from a ValueJet flight after refusing to surrender a flask suspected to contain alcohol,a banned item on Nigerian flights. Days later, on August 10, Ibom Air passenger Comfort Emmanson was forcibly removed from a flight, leading to torn clothes and her subsequent arrest. Fortunately, she was released after a court struck out the charges against her. With recent tense episodes at Nigerian airports, such enlightenment is essential to maintaining order and ensuring safe travel for all.
FG, airlines reverse Ibom Air passenger’s lifetime ban, cut Wasiu Ayinde’s suspension to one month
The Nigerian government and airline operators have decided to lift the lifetime flying ban on Comfort Emmanson, a passenger involved in an incident on Ibom Air, and reduce the suspension of popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM 1) to just one month. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced on his official X account that the agreements followed talks with aviation stakeholders, appeals from concerned parties, and sincere apologies from those involved. Emmanson, who had been held in Kirikiri Prison since the incident on August 10, 2025, will be freed within the week after Ibom Air withdrew its criminal complaint against her. Additionally, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) agreed to lift her lifetime ban, signaling a fresh start for her passage with airlines. For Wasiu Ayinde, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) accepted to reduce his ban to one month and drop their complaint. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will appoint him as an ambassador for airport security protocols, a role aimed at promoting better behavior around airports. Minister Keyamo further revealed that the ValueJet pilots involved in a related incident, Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba, will serve the same one-month suspension and undergo a mandatory professional re-evaluation before their licenses are reinstated. These pilots were suspended earlier for taxiing their aircraft with people on the runway. Keyamo emphasized that these decisions were made out of compassion and do not soften the government’s stance on aviation safety and misconduct. He assured that safety and security remain top priorities for the aviation sector in Nigeria.