Protesters have stormed the US embassy in Abuja to urge the American government to deny former vice president Atiku Abubakar visa to its country.
Under the aegis of Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations in Nigeria, the protesters alleged on Wednesday that Atiku was involved in bribery scandal for which US Senator William Jefferson was tried and jailed for 13 years in 2009.
Atiku is the presidential candidate of the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for 2019 election.
The group’s national convener Wole Badmus said that “granting his (Atiku’s) visa request will amount to a negation of the Patriot Act which makes the acceptance of foreign corruption proceeds a US money laundering offense.”
He added that if the US denied Atiku its visa for 13 years and now grants it to him just before the presidential election; it would be tantamount to making a mockery of the United Nation’s Convention against corruption.
Badmus read his letter addressed to US Ambassador Stuart Symington before a surging crowd of protesters and armed policemen on guard.
