Author: Nigeriabrief

Three Nigerian youths who were traveling from Kano to Sokoto to visit detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu have accused Nigerian Immigration Service officials of arresting, detaining and extorting money from them before abandoning them in Zamfara state. A source familiar with the incident told SaharaReporters that the travelers were intercepted en route and held for about seven hours. “On our way to visit Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Sokoto, we were arrested, detained here for seven hours, extorted and stopped in Zamfara state by the Nigerian Immigration Service,” the source said. A video obtained by SaharaReporters…

For millions of Nigerians living in the United States, the holiday season, known back home as “Deti December,” has always been a time to reunite with family, host lively reunions, and soak up the energy of nightlife in Lagos and Abuja. But this year, a cloud of anxiety has hung over the diaspora community as major changes in U.S. immigration policy have altered travel plans and cast dark clouds over what should have been a celebratory season.The unrest was triggered by a new directive from President Donald Trump’s administration, effective January 1, 2026, that would partially suspend the issuance of…

The origin of Weirdis photography is Getty ImagesJanuary 22, 2021US President Joe Biden will reverse some of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.A U.S. official said the travel ban was imposed because the affected Contris did not meet U.S. security and intelligence-sharing standards.”This issue is unlikely to be helpful in most cases, but for a variety of reasons it does not meet the minimum requirements that we have established,” said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf Tok.President Joe Biden signed an executive order lifting the travel ban hours after Inauguration Day.read moreCitizens of Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, Kyrgyzstan, and…

The recent announcement of a new Sony Group AI system that can measure the use of copyrighted material in trucks created by artificial intelligence has brought Nigeria’s legal framework into focus and highlighted the urgent need for updated copyright protection. The tool, developed by Sony AI, aims to give rights holders, including vulnerable Nigerian artists, the ability to prove unauthorized use of their works and claim a share of the revenue. However, industry experts have warned that the country’s 2023 Copyright Law has “little or nothing” about artificial intelligence, creating a clear enforcement gap. Developed by Sony AI, this tool…

Spotify, celebrating five years in business in Nigeria, reports more than 1.4 billion hours of listening time on its platform in 2025 alone, confirming that the country’s transition to streaming-driven music consumption is accelerating. The audio streaming platform, which launched in Nigeria on February 23, 2021, says its entry opens the local market to a global discovery-driven algorithm and curated playlist ecosystem. Since its launch, Spotify has reported continued user growth driven primarily by a younger, digitally native audience, with the average age of listeners in Nigeria being 26 years old. According to the company, since 2021, listening activity has…

The US Mission to Nigeria has clarified that Nigerian students and exchange visitors with valid visas are not affected by the partial visa suspension introduced under Presidential Proclamation No. 10998. In a statement released through its official X account on Monday, the mission said Nigerian students and exchange program participants who already hold valid F-1 and J-1 visas can continue their studies and academic activities in the United States despite the new restrictions. The mission stated that “Nigerian students and exchange participants with currently valid F1 and J1 visas are not affected by Presidential Proclamation 10998. Students and exchange participants…

Champagne was still squirting in the locker room of the USA team that won its first Olympic men’s hockey gold medal in nearly 50 years, but President Donald Trump called for a celebration, sparking the latest culture war in the country that has pitted the sport’s top stars against each other. After New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal in overtime to beat Canada 2-1 on Sunday, the group gathered in the locker room with FBI Director Kash Patel, and the Athletic reported that they were invited to celebrate by U.S. national team general manager Bill Guerin.…

Thibaut Courtois said he was “disappointed” by Jose Mourinho’s claims that Vinicius Junior’s goal celebration led to allegations of racial abuse as Real Madrid prepare to host Benfica in the second leg of the Champions League play-offs on Wednesday.UEFA has provisionally suspended Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni for one match as the investigation continues into the incident following Vinicius’ goal in Madrid’s 1-0 win in Lisbon last week, with Benfica and Prestianni insisting he is innocent.In the aftermath of the first leg, Mourinho, who is suspended for the second leg after receiving a red card late in last week’s match, suggested…

Alex Enuma in Abuja Detained former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has filed a N1 billion Fundamental Rights Enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Enforcement Commission (ICPC), alleging illegal entry into his residence in Abuja. In a suit filed on his behalf by a team of lawyers led by Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), the former governor, who was taken into custody by the ICPC last Wednesday, prays the court to declare null and void the search warrant issued by the FCT Magistrate Court (second defendant) on February 4 authorizing the search and seizure of his residence.…

The US mission to Nigeria said Nigerian students and exchange visitors with valid visas are not affected by the partial visa suspension under Presidential Proclamation 10998. Mission made this clear in a post to X on Monday. “Nigerian students and exchange participants with currently valid F1 and J1 visas are not affected by Presidential Proclamation 10998. Students and exchange participants with visas can continue to contribute to learning, research, and innovation at U.S. universities and institutions.” This clarification comes in advance of the January 1, 2026 implementation of Presidential Proclamation 10998, entitled “Restrictions and Restrictions on the Entry of Aliens…