Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has been asked to place a travel ban on the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, over his role in the Capitol Hill riot.
A group, Muslim Rights Concern, made the demand in a statement by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, titled ‘Place travel ban on Trump, cronies – MURIC’.
The group also asked the Nigerian president to sanction Trump’s key allies “for their ignoble roles in the US 2020 presidential elections particularly the storming of the Capitol”.
Akintola berated Buhari for being silent on the Capitol riot, noting the US government might have imposed sanctions if such happened in Nigeria.
The statement added, “We strongly denounce the role played by President Donald Trump in the last US general elections. Trump’s refusal to acknowledge defeat shows acute desertification of the spirit of sportsmanship.
“His insistence on electoral fraud despite several court declarations to the contrary is a manifestation of selfishness, overambition, and inordinate lust for power. Above all, his incitement which led to the storming of the Capitol is despicable, repulsive and preposterous. Trump has stained America’s reputation as a great democracy.
“MURIC calls on the Federal Government to speak up on the American debacle. America’s condemnation of African and other third world countries has been deafening enough to attract a tornado of backlashes at this moment.
“We are not happy that FG has remained silent. China, Turkey, and Iran have spoken up. The voice of Africa must also be heard and the continent is looking unto Nigeria to lead the way.
“We must tell America to its face that tyranny is colour blind and dictators can emerge from the least expected places on earth. There is no country which is occupied by angels only, least of all America.
“We call on FG to place travel ban on outgoing President Donald Trump and his key allies. It is hoped that other African countries will key into the idea. It just has to be on record that once upon a time, America produced a tyrant, a bully, and an insurrectionist.”
The PUNCH reports that Trump’s supporters had stormed a session of Congress held last Wednesday to certify Joe Biden’s election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy and accusations the president was attempting a coup.
Hours after an extraordinary rally by Trump seeking to overturn the election, a flag-waving mob broke down barricades outside the Capitol and swarmed inside, rampaging through offices and onto the usually solemn legislative floors.
At least five persons died in the riot generally believed to be incited by the US president.
PUNCH