The post shows two photos: US President Donald Trump signing a document, and a crowd of young people waving Nigerian flags. It says the “visa restrictions” target “countries whose citizens have a track record of overstaying beyond the validity of their short-term US visas”.
“The USA immigration office have effectively halted issuing student visas to students coming from Nigeria until further notice,” the post adds.
It quotes an unnamed “immigration officer in New Jersey” as having told “BBC network Africa service” that the “majority of students coming from Nigeria do not return to Nigeria upon completion of their studies”.
In the comments, Nigerian Facebook users showered Trump with praise, one saying “it will teach us a lesson for an indiscipline act”.
‘#Fake news alert’ – US embassy
But the US Mission Nigeria soon tweeted that the story was false.
“#Fake News Alert! Be advised, reports of Student Visa ban for Nigerians is false,” the embassy’s 17 June Twitter post reads. “If you have seen such a manufactured item on Facebook and Twitter or received it via WhatsApp, please communicate that it is false.”
#FakeNews Alert! Be advised, reports of Student Visa ban for Nigerians is false. If you have seen such manufactured item on Facebook and Twitter or received it via WhatsApp, please communicate that it is false. pic.twitter.com/1EvoiST6ak
— U.S. Mission Nigeria (@USEmbassyAbuja) June 17, 2019
This isn’t the first time US visas have been the subject of false news. Africa Check recently debunked claims that the US had added Cameroon and nine other countries to its Visa Waiver Program - Grace Gichuhi
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
Further Reading
[email protected]: The challenges of working across Africa
Misinformation knows no borders and Africa Check often responds to similar false claims from country to country.
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