The United States Embassy in Nigeria has issued an important clarification for Nigerian travellers: the expiry date on a U.S. visa does not determine how long a visitor can stay in the country.
The advisory, shared on the embassy’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on July 17, aims to address a common misunderstanding that has led many international visitors to unintentionally overstay their approved time in the U.S.
According to the embassy, a U.S. visa only allows a traveller to approach a port of entry and request admission—it does not guarantee entry or specify how long a person can remain in the country. That decision is made solely by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the point of entry.
“Reminder! The length of time an international visitor is allowed to stay in United States is determined by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer upon your arrival, NOT your visa expiration date,” the embassy stated. “To see how long you can stay, check your I-94 (admit until date) at i94.cbp.dhs.gov.”
What This Means for Nigerian Travellers
Many travellers mistakenly believe that they can stay in the U.S. until the expiration date printed on their visa—but this is incorrect and can lead to serious immigration consequences, including future visa denials or travel bans.
Instead, visitors should refer to their I-94 record, which is generated when they arrive in the U.S. This form shows the “Admit Until Date”—the actual date by which the visitor must leave the country.
Travellers can check their I-94 status and departure deadline online at i94.cbp.dhs.gov.
The embassy emphasized that staying beyond the “Admit Until Date” could count as a visa overstay, which is a violation of U.S. immigration laws and may affect future travel or visa renewal prospects.
This advisory is part of the U.S. mission’s ongoing public awareness campaign aimed at educating Nigerian citizens on proper travel procedures and preventing avoidable immigration violations.
Former presidential candidate and current Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has ignited political controversy after alleging that top officials in the Obama administration orchestrated a deliberate effort in 2016 to sabotage then-candidate Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
In a newly released intelligence report on Friday, Gabbard claimed there was a “treasonous conspiracy” within the Obama-era intelligence leadership aimed at shaping public perception around Russian election interference to discredit Trump and tilt the outcome in favor of Hillary Clinton.
The report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), is the latest in a series of attempts under the Trump-aligned faction of government to question the now eight-year-old intelligence consensus that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election to aid Donald Trump.
Gabbard’s report argues that the Obama administration may have pressured intelligence agencies to skew assessments by conflating Russia’s cyber intrusions into election systems with its broader influence operations on social media and document leaks. The implication: that officials distorted the narrative to strengthen claims of Trump’s alleged collusion with Moscow.
However, top Democrats have strongly dismissed Gabbard’s findings. Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, branded the treason accusations as “baseless.” Similarly, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the report confused distinct categories of Russian activity—cyber hacking vs. psychological influence—and misrepresented previously verified conclusions.
“This is one more example of the Director of National Intelligence trying to cook the books,” Warner said. “We’re talking about apples and oranges.”
Multiple intelligence assessments, including a bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report, have supported the original 2016 finding that Russia sought to interfere in the election by damaging Hillary Clinton’s candidacy and boosting Trump’s.
The new report includes emails suggesting that then-President Barack Obama asked for a detailed intelligence review before leaving office. While some Republicans argue that this move was politically motivated, Obama-era officials say the intention was to preserve transparency before the Trump administration could potentially bury the findings.
Notably, the report acknowledges that Russia did not attempt to change actual vote tallies, but it questions why an article clarifying that point was withheld from the President’s Daily Brief at the time.
As the debate continues, the intelligence community has reiterated in its most recent reviews—under Gabbard’s leadership—that Russia continues to engage in disinformation campaigns aimed at weakening democratic systems and public trust in elections.
Whether Gabbard’s claims will lead to further investigation remains to be seen. But the political fallout from reopening the 2016 election controversy is already fueling renewed tensions between Democrats and Republicans as the 2024 race looms.
NBC Today Show meteorologist and third-hour co-anchor Dylan Dreyer has officially confirmed her separation from husband Brian Fichera after 12 years of marriage.
Dreyer, 43, shared the news with fans via Instagram on July 18, expressing gratitude for the ongoing support she has received from viewers over the years. “For many years, I have shared my family with you all — the highs and lows, the ups and downs, and all of the blessings and beautiful memories in between,” she wrote. “I am incredibly grateful for the support and love you’ve given me through it all. For that reason, I want to share with you that a few months ago, Brian and I made the decision to separate.”
The longtime couple, who married in 2012, are parents to three children: Calvin (8), Oliver (5), and Rusty (3). They originally met while working at WHDH, a local NBC affiliate in Boston — Dreyer as a meteorologist and Fichera as an in-studio technician.
Despite the separation, the pair remain on good terms and committed to co-parenting their children with mutual respect. “We began as friends, and we will remain the closest of friends,” Dreyer continued in her message. “Most importantly, we will continue to co-parent our three wonderful boys together with nothing but love and respect for one another.”
A source close to the family also confirmed to PEOPLE magazine that Dreyer and Fichera “remain best friends” and are prioritizing their children throughout the transition.
In recent weeks, the family has continued to spend time together, including celebrating the Fourth of July and attending the Macy’s fireworks event, which Dreyer hosts for NBC. Fichera also accompanied her to the American Century Golf Championship in Lake Tahoe, where he served as her caddy — a reflection of their shared love of golf.
“Golf is the thing we do together,” Dreyer previously told Today.com in 2023. “We have a couple of drinks, we laugh.”
Fichera, now a producer and freelance cameraman for NBC News, once gifted Dreyer her first set of golf clubs during the early stages of their relationship — a gesture that marked the beginning of many shared memories.
Though their romantic relationship has come to an end, both Dreyer and Fichera have made it clear that their commitment to family and friendship remains strong.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday appointed Muhammad Babangida, son of former military president Ibrahim Babangida, as the new Chairman of the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) and seven other individuals as new chairpersons and heads of key national institutions.
The appointments were confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday, July 18, 2025, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Here new Chairmen, Heads of Federal Agencies appointed by President Tinubu
1. Lydia Kalat Musa (Kaduna State) – Chairman, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA).
2. Jamilu Wada Aliyu (Kano State) – Chairman, National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Muhammad Babangida, son of former military President Ibrahim Babangida, as the new Chairman of the Bank of Agriculture (BoA).
The announcement was made in a statement issued on Thursday, July 18, 2025, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
According to the statement, the appointment is part of President Tinubu’s broader effort to reposition critical government institutions for improved efficiency and greater economic impact.
Muhammad Babangida, 53, is a graduate of the European University in Montreux, Switzerland, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Public Relations and Business Communication. He also completed an Executive Programme on Corporate Governance at Harvard Business School in 2002.
His new role at the revamped Bank of Agriculture is expected to help drive the administration’s agricultural finance reform and food security agenda.
Alongside Muhammad Babangida, seven other individuals were named as new chairpersons or heads of key national institutions.
Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, made his first official appearance as a lawyer on Friday, stepping into a new chapter of his public life — this time in the courtroom.
Clad in the traditional wig and gown of the legal profession, Melaye appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite at Court 8 of the Federal High Court in Abuja, marking his legal debut since being called to the Nigerian Bar.
“Senator Dino Melaye at the Federal High Court Abuja today. Appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of Court 8,” he wrote on his verified Facebook page, celebrating the moment.
Melaye was among over 5,000 new lawyers called to the Bar in Abuja earlier this month, following the completion of his law degree at Baze University.
A prominent figure in Nigerian politics, Melaye previously served as a member of the House of Representatives and as senator for Kogi West in the 8th National Assembly. A vocal chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Melaye was known for his fiery speeches, activism, and larger-than-life persona, which even extended to appearances on reality TV.
His transition from politics to law signals a fresh phase in his public service journey, with many watchers curious about how he will shape his legal career.
The courtroom appearance has since gone viral, with reactions pouring in across social media, congratulating Melaye for his latest achievement and career shift.
The White House has confirmed that former U.S. President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)—a circulatory condition where veins struggle to return blood from the legs back to the heart.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the diagnosis on Thursday while addressing recent concerns over swelling in Trump’s legs and visible bruising on his hand.
According to a medical memo released by the president’s physician, Dr. Sean P. Barbabella, the 79-year-old former president noticed mild swelling in his lower legs, prompting a full medical evaluation. Tests revealed the presence of CVI, which Dr. Barbabella described as “benign” and common in adults over the age of 70.
What Is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?
Chronic venous insufficiency affects 10% to 35% of U.S. adults and occurs when veins—usually in the legs—fail to efficiently transport blood back to the heart. The condition often leads to leg swelling, and in some cases, varicose veins, discomfort, or venous ulcers, which are sores that heal slowly.
Dr. Prakash Krishnan, director of endovascular services at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York, explained that age, obesity, pregnancy, and prolonged standing are key risk factors. The veins in the legs work against gravity using one-way valves and muscle contractions to circulate blood. When valves weaken or leak, blood pools, leading to pressure and vein enlargement.
Common Treatments
Doctors usually begin treatment with non-invasive methods, such as:
Compression stockings to improve blood flow.
Leg elevation (30 minutes, 3 times a day).
Lifestyle changes, including weight loss and exercise.
In more severe cases, patients may undergo:
Sclerotherapy, a procedure that collapses faulty veins using a chemical injection.
Laser or heat treatments to seal the affected veins and reroute blood through healthier ones.
Additional Findings and Trump’s Health Status
The White House also addressed the bruising on Trump’s hand, which Dr. Barbabella attributed to frequent handshaking and the regular use of aspirin—a medication he takes for heart health.
As part of the full checkup, Trump underwent blood tests and an echocardiogram, all of which came back normal, showing no signs of cardiac, kidney, or systemic problems.
“President Trump remains in excellent health,” Dr. Barbabella concluded.
The Federal Government has announced the immediate partial closure of the Keffi Bridge in Nasarawa State following damage caused by a heavy-duty vehicle that struck and dislodged parts of the structure.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while reacting to the incident, which involved an excavator-loaded truck hitting the bridge and causing a partial collapse.
According to the Minister, the closure became necessary to prevent further deterioration and to protect public safety. Umahi stated that only the affected carriageway, which sustained direct impact from the vehicle, would be shut down for now.
“We have directed the shutdown of the Keffi Bridge. But the shutdown is definitely the first carriageway that had direct impact with the excavator,” he said. “We are sending senior technical officers to work with the controller of that location, and then we will assess the second carriageway. If the beams of the second carriageway are affected, then the entire bridge will be shut down, and it becomes an emergency situation.”
The Minister explained that the ministry is working on an immediate design solution and will engage a qualified contractor with relevant expertise to carry out repairs. He emphasized the importance of complying with engineering standards in bridge construction, particularly the 5.6-meter standard headroom for flyovers.
Umahi attributed recent incidents of bridge damage across the country to violations of traffic codes, particularly the use of high-bed trucks that exceed the designated height limits. He noted that these violations have led to structural failures and disruptions to traffic and commerce.
To address the recurring problem, the Minister said that a new standard headroom of 6.5 meters would be considered for future flyover designs, and the ministry would begin installing metal height restrictors at bridge entrances to prevent over-height vehicles from accessing them.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Olofunsho Adebiyi, also confirmed the incident, explaining that the excavator being transported by the truck struck the beam of the Keffi Bridge, severely compromising its structural integrity.
He said the impact of the excavator destroyed part of the bridge’s slab and displaced a section of the beam, rendering that portion of the structure unsafe.
“It has totally distorted and affected the structural integrity of the entire structure there,” Adebiyi said. “The public cannot be allowed to continue to do things that destroy our expensive infrastructure.”
The ministry has advised motorists and residents to cooperate with traffic officials and use alternative routes where necessary as assessments and repair work commence on the affected bridge section.
Mr Suleiman Ciroma, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s witness, on Thursday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja how the sum of 12 million dollars was swapped in SunTrust Bank within 10 days.
Ciroma stated this while being led in evidence by EFCC’s lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, before Justice Emeka Nwite, in the ongoing trial of Halima Buba, the Managing Director/CEO of the bank.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buba and her co-defendant, Innocent Mbagwu, the Executive Director/Chief Compliance Officer of SunTrust Bank, are being prosecuted on money laundering offences to the tune of $12 million.
The duo, in a six-count charge, was alleged to have aided high-value cash transactions without routing them through a financial institution.
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 21(a), 2(1), and 9(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.
The defendants were, on June 13, arraigned by the anti-graft agency.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the counts, and admitted to a N100 million bail with one surety, each in like sum.
Upon resumed hearing on Thursday, Ciroma, the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1), told the court that he is a businessman and had worked as a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator before.
“I have a travel agency,” he said.
The witness, who identified Buba, said though he had never met Mbagwu one-on-one before, he said they talked on phone.
The PW-1 tendered in evidence a bundle of documents to support his testimony before the court.
He narrated how the defendants facilitated the release of the $12 million at branches of the bank in Abuja and Lagos State, within 10 days.
He said the transactions commenced on March 10, after he got a call from Aisha Achimugu, an oil magnate, who informed him that she had some forex transactions to carry out with the bank.
The witness told the court that he immediately called Buba, who confirmed that she was aware of the proposed transactions.
The PW-1 told the court that later on the same day, a man named, Iliya called to notify him that he was at a branch of the bank in Abuja for payment of $1 million in cash as a swap to be paid to Achimugu through the account of a company, Oceangate Energy Oil & Gas, domiciled in Zenith Bank.
“I then contacted my friend, Hassan Dantani of Ashrap Ltd, who sent Tijjani Adamu for the collection of the cash payment,” he said.
He told the court that on the same day, Abdulkadir Mohammed collected another $1 million cash payment from a branch of the bank in Abuja, while another $2 million was also received by a man he identified as Kabiru.
Ciroma disclosed that the defendants helped to swap the $12 million cash payments into the account of Achimugu’s company, in tranches, between March 10 and March 20.
“In all the transactions, I made a profit of N15 million,” he told the court.
Asked if he knew the reason behind the alleged illicit transactions, the PW-1 said: “Aisha Achimugu told me that she wanted to buy an oil block and would need dollar inflow into Oceangate Energy Oil & Gas account.”
He told the court that while Buba facilitated the transactions that took place in Abuja, Mbagwu handled the ones that occured in Lagos.
Ciroma, through the lawyer, tendered some exhibits, including the printout of WhatsApp conversations he had with Buba in relation to the transactions, as well as a certificate of identification he signed.
Buba’s counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN, and Mbagwu’s lawyer, Mr. M. S. Ibrahim, SAN, though opposed to tendering the evidence as exhibits, they reserved their reasons till the final address stage.
Justice Nwite then admitted and marked the evidence as Exhibit P1.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until July 18 for continuation of trial.
Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased further to 22.22 percent in June 2025, marking a continued slowdown in inflationary pressures across the country, according to the latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The figures, contained in the June 2025 Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Inflation Report and made available on Wednesday in Abuja, indicate a 0.76 percent decrease compared to the 22.97 percent recorded in May 2025.
Despite the annual decline, the report showed that inflation rose slightly on a month-to-month basis. The headline inflation rate for June stood at 1.68 percent, which is 0.15 percentage points higher than the 1.53 percent recorded in May, suggesting a quicker pace of price increases within the month.
“This means that in June 2025, the rate of increase in the average price level was higher than the rate recorded in May,” the NBS noted.
The rise in the inflation index was largely driven by price increases in key categories of consumer goods and services. According to the report, Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Restaurants and Accommodation Services, and Transport were the top contributors to the headline inflation rate on a year-on-year basis. On the other hand, the least contributing divisions were Recreation, Sport and Culture, Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, and Insurance and Financial Services.
Food inflation, a critical indicator for Nigerian households, recorded a significant decline on a year-on-year basis, standing at 21.97 percent in June 2025. This represents a sharp drop of 18.90 percentage points when compared to the 40.87 percent recorded in June 2024. The NBS attributed this decline primarily to the recent rebasing of the Consumer Price Index, which has adjusted the base year for comparison to reflect more recent economic conditions.
However, on a month-to-month basis, food inflation increased to 3.25 percent in June, rising from 2.19 percent in May. The increase was driven by price hikes in several staple food items, including green peas, fresh pepper, dried shrimps, crayfish, fresh meat, tomatoes, plantain flour, and ground pepper.
Nigeria’s inflation rate drops to 22.22% in June — NBS
Core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce and energy items, rose to 22.76 percent on a year-on-year basis in June. Month-on-month, the core inflation rate increased to 2.46 percent, up from 1.10 percent in May.
The report also provided new insights into the country’s inflation structure, following the introduction of newly rebased sub-indices. According to the NBS, on a month-on-month basis, the inflation rate for farm produce dropped by 13.3 percent, while goods inflation stood at 0.93 percent, down from 22.38 percent and 9.39 percent respectively in May. Meanwhile, inflation for services and energy was recorded at 3.26 percent and -11.0 percent, respectively, compared to 1.79 percent and -0.43 percent in the previous month.
On the regional front, urban inflation was higher than rural inflation. The urban inflation rate was recorded at 22.72 percent year-on-year and 2.11 percent month-on-month, indicating a 0.71 percent increase from the previous month. Rural inflation, by contrast, stood at 20.85 percent year-on-year, with a lower month-on-month figure of 0.63 percent, showing a decline from 1.83 percent in May.
A breakdown by state revealed that Borno State recorded the highest inflation rate in June on a year-on-year basis at 31.63 percent, followed by the Federal Capital Territory at 26.79 percent and Abia at 25.91 percent. The slowest inflation rates were recorded in Zamfara at 9.90 percent, Yobe at 13.51 percent, and Sokoto at 15.78 percent.
Month-on-month, Ekiti recorded the highest inflation rate at 5.39 percent, followed by Delta at 5.15 percent, and Lagos at 5.13 percent. Conversely, the slowest month-on-month inflation was recorded in Zamfara at -6.89 percent, Niger at -5.53 percent, and Plateau at -4.01 percent.
In terms of food inflation, Borno State again topped the chart with 47.40 percent, followed by Ebonyi at 30.62 percent and Bayelsa at 28.64 percent. The states with the lowest food inflation year-on-year were Katsina at 6.21 percent, Adamawa at 10.90 percent, and Sokoto at 15.25 percent.
On a month-on-month basis, food inflation was highest in Enugu at 11.90 percent, Kwara at 9.97 percent, and Rivers at 9.88 percent. The slowest increases were observed in Borno at -7.63 percent, Sokoto at -6.43 percent, and Bayelsa at -6.34 percent.
The NBS noted that the June 2025 CPI rose to 123.4, reflecting a 2-point increase from the previous month. This rise is part of the broader changes introduced through the recent rebasing of the CPI, which updated the base year from 2009 to 2024, with 2023 now serving as the reference year for expenditure patterns.
According to Adeyemi Adeniran, the Statistician-General of the Federation, the rebasing was necessary to ensure that Nigeria’s inflation metrics accurately reflect the country’s current economic realities. He explained that the process involved incorporating emerging sectors, updating household consumption baskets, and refining data collection methodologies.
For more insights and updates on Nigeria’s economy, stay tuned to News Access NG.
