Visa ban: UAE blackmailing Nigeria, CBN – Youth group

A coalition of youths under the aegis of Nigerian Ethnic Youths Leaders Council on Wednesday said that the threat by United Arab Emirates to slam visa ban on Nigerians is an ill-conceived plot to blackmail the government and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The membership of NEYLC cuts across Arewa Consultative Youths Movement, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths Movement, Oduduwa youths and middle-belt youths. The NEYLC in a statement by the Ohanaeze Secretary-General and head of its secretariat, Nwada Chiama, said the threat by UAE was due to the funds of airlines trapped in Nigeria.

The organisation recalled that Emirates Airline is owned by the government of UAE. The statement reads, “We have no doubt that the UAE visa ban threat is a plot to blackmail Nigeria and the CBN under the leadership of  Godwin Emefiele.

“We make bold to say that such step is meant to create forex instability in our dear country and destroy our economy. This is very clear because of the way the CBN has been dutifully releasing foreign exchange to the airlines.

“The CBN released $110m to the foreign airlines in August and is due to release another $120m on October 31. The UAE’s decision should be seen in the context of fighting for Ernirates Airline and nothing more. The move by the UAE to place visa ban on Nigerians is therefore ill-conceived and should be condemned by all lovers of the country and free trade.”