How Nigerian Passport With Strange Substance Shut Down US Embassy In Abuja

Related stories

Tinubu: Presidency Replies Peter Obi, Says He Is Blind To Realities

By Abiola Olawale The Presidency has accused Peter Obi, the...

How Boko Haram Attacked Ex-COAS Buratai’s Convoy, Escapes Death In Borno — Reveals Ndume

By Kolawole Ojebisi The lawmaker representing Borno South in the...

Gambaryan Quits Binance After Brush With Nigerian Government

By Kolawole Ojebisi Months after regaining his freedom from the...

Drama as Tinubu’s Aide, Aliyu Audu Resigns

By Abiola Olawale Aliyu Audu, Senior Special Assistant to President...

The US Embassy shut down its consular operations in Abuja because it received a Nigerian passport that strangely contained an unusual amount of white powder.

The embassy announced the shutdown in a statement on its website on Tuesday — a day after one of its staff opened a passport for processing and discovered a sizeable portion of powder in it. The development sparked huge concerns about the potential damage to the staff member who opened the substance, and to others who may have been exposed to the substance.

A highly placed diplomatic source who confirmed the story to SaharaReporters said the embassy shut down the section to test the powder and to quarantine staff of the section.

The staff of the section were not allowed to leave work with their gadgets on that day.

Attempts to confirm the report from staff of the embassy proved abortive, as two staff contacted by SaharaReporters both declined to comment, saying all staff had been vehemently warned not to utter a word on it. Even the Public Relations Department of the embassy would make no comment on it as well, we were told.

“This is such a strange occurrence,” the source said. “If I wasn’t educated, I would doubt this ever happened. What on earth would you sprinkle power on the inside pages of your passport. Nigeria already has a high US visa rejection rate; I suspect it is about to get even worse.”

In 2017, more than 130,000 Nigerians, representing 44 per cent of the total number of applications, were denied visa.

SaharaReporters was told the quarantining period will be over very soon and the consular section will be reopened sometime next week, “likely anytime from Tuesday August 21”.

IN the statement announcing the temporary shutdown, the embassy had said “American citizens in northern Nigeria with urgent travel needs who are travelling before Tuesday and who are willing to re-schedule their travel through Lagos should contact the ACS office at Consulate Lagos ( 01460 3400 and LagosACS@state.gov) to discuss their options”.

This, according to the source, “is one hint that Tuesday is the target for resumption of operations”.

sources refrained from formally contacting the embassy for an official reaction, for fear it would offer the embassy a slim chance of tracking down the source, seeing one of the staff who declined to talk had said: “The embassy is extremely determined to keep this under wraps; if I talk to you, I am 90% sure I would be found out and that means I lose my job.”

The US is one of the most coveted countries by Nigerians. According to the U.S. Department of State, more than 163,000 immigrant and non-immigrant visas were issued to Nigerians between March 2017 and January 2018.

Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa is an experienced, and committed communication, business, administrative, data and research specialist . His deep knowledge of the intersection between communication, business, data, and journalism are quite profound. His passion for professional excellence remains the guiding principle of his work, and in the course of his career spanning sectors such as administration, tourism, business management, communication and journalism, Hamilton has won key awards. He is a delightful writer, researcher and data analyst. He loves team-work, problem-solving, organizational management, communication strategy, and enjoys travelling. He can be reached at: hamilton_68@yahoo.com

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Tinubu: Presidency Replies Peter Obi, Says He Is Blind To RealitiesHow Boko Haram Attacked Ex-COAS Buratai's Convoy, Escapes Death In Borno --- Reveals NdumeGambaryan Quits Binance After Brush With Nigerian GovernmentDrama as Tinubu’s Aide, Aliyu Audu ResignsNigerians Have Behaved Badly For 'A Very Long Time', LP's Alex Otti Backs Tinubu's Fuel Subsidy RemovalOne Third Of Dangote Refinery Crude From US as Scarce Local Supplies Stall Refinery's Capacity, Says BloombergTinubu Running Govt. of 'Propaganda And Lies', Says Peter Obi2027: Ijaw Group Threatens To Prevent Election In Warri If...Sanwo-olu Breaks Silence On Alleged Rift With Tinubu, Calls President 'Father And Leader'Tinubu Tells Sanwo-Olu At Lagos Peace Meeting: "All is Forgiven"Pope Leo XIV Urges Faithful to Open Borders, Break Down Barriers, Embrace LoveJune 12: Tinubu To Address Senate, Reps Joint Session On Democracy DayNUT Speaks On Why FG's Planned Computer-based Examinations Won't Curb MalpracticesTension in Colombia as Presidential Hopeful Miguel Uribe Shot 3 Times at Campaign Rally in Critical StateGowon Reflects on Nigerian Civil War, Says It Was a Painful Duty, Not a Choice
X whatsapp