The
invitation was said to be at the instance of an activist, Kayode Bello, who
petitioned the House of Representatives over the matter.
Many
Nigerian students seeking to study in US schools were allegedly denied visas
despite spending a lot of money on different fees.
Some of
the fees were application fees, evaluation fees, courier fees, service fees,
visa fees, school fees which are non-refundable.
While
some of the students claimed that they were denied visas because they were not
married, others said they were denied because only one of their parents was
their sponsor.
According
to The Punch, a parent claimed that his daughter’s interview was cut short
because she asked the interviewer to speak up.
It was
further learnt that the embassy usually issued preprinted blue papers to those
it rejected without giving a specific reason for the decision.
A
former ambassador to the US, John Campbell had, however, said visas were given
by consular officers on a case by case basis, adding that the refusal of many
people to return home after finishing their programmes made the process
difficult.
The
activist, Bello, petitioned the National Assembly through a member representing
the Ede and Ejigbo Federal Constituency, Prof. Mojeed Alabi, after suffering a
similar fate of denial.
The
summon, titled, ‘Indiscriminate denial of United States of America visa and
illegal increment of exchange rate of visa fee by the American embassy’ was
signed by the House Committee Chairman on Public Petitions, Uzo Azubuike.
The
two-page document, dated November 27, 2018, and a copy of which was received by
our correspondent, said the hearing would hold on Tuesday, December 4 at 2pm at
the House of Representatives Room 429.
The
House asked the ambassador to present 20 copies of his defence.
The
Clerk of the House, Mr. Omale Adoyi, confirmed the development yesterday.
He,
however, said the US embassy rejected the summon.
“But we
will go on with the hearing and may have to adjourn if they fail to show up,”
he added.
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