This is not the best time for Wife of the Governor of Kebbi State, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, as her third attempt to secure United States of America Visa was futile.
Though reason for denying the governor’s wife the US visa was not known, informed source disclosed to WazobiaReporters that it might not be unconnected with the alleged involvement of her husband, Governor Atiku Bagudu in the unprecedented looting of the national treasury by the regime of late General Sani Abacha.
A source in the US embassy disclosed to our reporter that Governor Atiku Bagudu’s wife was first denied visa two years ago.
Her first attempt was to use her British Passport to apply for Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). ESTA is an automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and whether such travel poses any law enforcement or security risk. ESTA is not a visa.
Then, she applied for Regular Visa, using her British Passport, the response she got was “administrative review,” which is a polite way of saying someone is denied visa.
This year, she had used the opportunity of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to apply, but she was denied again.
The UNGA 2019 took place at the UN headquarters in New York from September 24 to 30.
“She actually wanted to attend the 74th UNGA in preparation for out of office since her husband is running his second tenure as Kebbi State governor.
“Her Excellency applied with Blue Passport, using the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), but was denied,” the source said.
The Blue (Official Passport) is used by government officials with letter of introduction from applicant’s Ministry, Parastatal or Extra – Ministerial Department duly signed by an officer not below the rank of a Director or Secretary to state Government in case of an employee of state government.
In the last few months, prominent Nigerians, including the Governors of Kaduna and Ekiti States, Nasir El-rufai and Dr Kayode Fayemi were reportedly denied visa by the US Embassy.
Dr Zainab Bagudu’s husband was a close associate of Gen. Abacha and the alleged kingpin of Abacha’s money-laundering activities.
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