The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced an increase in the price of visa for Nigerians with effect from Thursday, August 29, in retaliation to increased cost of obtaining Nigeria’s by its citizens.

This is coming few days after 77 Nigerians were named as suspects in a fraud syndicate that swindled many Americans of millions of dollars.

With the announcement, Nigerians applying for tourism, student and business visas will not only pay the N59, 200 fee but will have to pay an extra $110 (N40, 700) after it has been issued to them bringing the total cost to N99, 900.

However, applicants who are denied visas would not need to pay the extra N40, 700.

In a reaction, public affairs commentator, EUGENE ABELS said the Nigerian government should apologize to Nigerians for not keeping them abreast of this development.

The Federal Government is seeking a stay of execution on the award of $9.6bn dollars by a British Court, against Nigeria to Irish company, P&IDLimited.

It has also directed the EFCC, theNational Intelligence Agency and the IG of Police to conduct a thorough investigation into Process and Industrial Developments Ltd which was recently asked by a UK court to seize $9.6bn dollars in Nigerian assets.

Minister of Information and Culture, LAI MOHAMMED, gave this indication at a news conference in Abuja.

Also at the briefing, the Minister of Justice, ABUBAKAR MALAMI said the decision was based on the fact that the Federal Government suspected foul play in the contract which was negotiated and signed in 2010.

On his part, the CBN Governor, GODWIN EMEFIELE said there was no proper documentation of the Gas project.

The Federal Government has dismissed reports that 23 Nigerians convicted for drug offences in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had been executed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was in contact with the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia “and it has been confirmed that the story is false and should be disregarded.”

The media had been awash with the names of the convicts awaiting execution in various Saudi prisons for drug offences.

But the ministry spokesman, FERDINAND NWONYE, explained in a statement in Abuja, that the Ministry was investigating claims that most of the trials were carried out without adequate legal representation for the accused, in accordance with internationally accepted legal principles.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has recovered $314,000 and N373m about N486m in all from suspects in connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into the list of nearly 80 Nigerians indicted for fraud.

Acting Chairman of the EFCC, IBRAHIM MAGU, who disclosed this said while the sum of $314,000 had been recovered, the sum of N373m had been traced to various commercial banks by the Lagos zonal office of the commission.

He also disclosed that the recent joint operations coordinated by the commission had yielded 28 arrests, adding that 14 suspects had been charged and convicted.

The EFCC chair further stated that “nine of the suspects are currently undergoing trial, while five are still under investigations.

Executive Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, DEBO ADENIRAN weighs in on the matter.