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US Confirms Revocation Of Aondoakaa's Visa, Another 13 More Revocations Coming To Yar'Adua-Era Cabal Members

July 1, 2010
Image removed.The United States has confirmed that Michael Kaase Andoakaa (SAN) Nigeria’s former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, is banned and barred from entering the country.  A top US diplomat in Abuja told The Punch in Abuja Saharareporters had its facts right.   Last Thursday, Saharareporters broke the story, informing the nation of the revocation of Aondoakaa's visa. 
The former Minister however denied it, boisterously telling the local media he could go anywhere in the world he pleased.

Reading from a prepared text on Thursday, the US diplomat said, “The United States has indeed revoked the visa of the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 7750, which provides authority to deny entry to the United States to persons with links to corruption.”


The diplomat did not provide any details because he said the information was restricted to the text.

Proclamation 7750 was made on in January 2004 by former US President George W. Bush to restrict foreign officials and their family members allegedly linked to corruption.  The full text of the proclamation is available on  Presidential Proclamation 7750

The proclamation was used in 2004 to bar the former governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye, and his family from entering the US.  Its renewed use by the United States suggests that the developed economies may be moving into a new season in confronting official corruption in Nigeria.  In Aondoakaa’s case, not only has a judge in Nigeria barred him from holding public office, he is being investigated in the United Kingdom.

Saharareporters can also now confirm that similar revocations are coming against many Yar'Adua era officials linked to massive corruption during his two and half years in office. Yar'Adua died in May at the Presidential Villa in Abuja but his closest aides have not been investigated for corruption by Jonathan regime. 
 
The passport of Yar'Adua's Chief Economic Adviser, Tanimu Kurfi, is currently being held by State Security Service (SSS) which continues to drill him for being in possession of over $1.2 billion on behalf of Yar'Adua.

Yar'Adua's wife, Hajia Turai, Kurfi, former FCT Minister Adamu Aliero,  former Agriculture Minister, Abba Ruma and 9 others are on the list. As of the time of writing this report Saharareporters was also learning that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, who is also a UK citizen, is being seriously considered for the US ban.

In denying our report last week, Aondoakaa, trying to be clever, said: “The revocation of visa of a citizen entering the US does not go through Obama. It is just a matter of the state department revoking your visa.”

In saying that, he suggested we could not obtain information from the highest levels of a government, and perhaps that his corrupt record is insufficient to attract to the attention of the US leader.  He also said he had spoken to a senior US diplomat. 

If Aondoakaa still arrogantly challenges our report that he cannot enter the United States, Saharareporters hereby offers him a chance to prove us wrong this summer: an all-expenses paid trip to New York City.  He will travel Business Class on the airline of his choice, and spend a weekend in the Waldorf Astoria, which he has enjoyed in the past at the expense of the Nigerian taxpayer. 



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