US cancels visas for Nigerian, other international students

A sudden wave of visa cancellations has left hundreds of international students including many Nigerians reeling with uncertainty across the United States.

“This started off looking like isolated cases, but now it’s coming fast and furious,” said Matthew Maiona, a Boston-based immigration attorney, reflecting growing concerns among legal experts and advocacy groups.

A recent Associated Press review revealed that at least 901 students from 128 colleges have already been impacted by the cancellations.

While many impacted students come from countries like India and China, immigration attorneys report that no region appears to be immune from the sweeping crackdown. In several cases, students were reportedly flagged for minor infractions, such as traffic violations.

Four students in Michigan have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, claiming their visas were revoked without explanation. Similar legal actions are emerging across the country, with judges in states including New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Montana issuing temporary orders to reinstate some students’ legal status.

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In a marked change from previous procedures, universities are now discovering these visa terminations through the federal immigration database—sometimes before the students themselves are notified.

This abrupt policy shift is leaving many students in a state of uncertainty, with some just weeks away from graduation or starting jobs.

With no official response yet from the U.S. State Department or the Department of Homeland Security, confusion continues to grow.

Some students are being told to leave the country immediately, while others remain in the U.S. to appeal the decision—hoping to avoid detention or deportation.

In the meantime, many have adopted new routines: carrying immigration documents at all times and preparing for worst-case scenarios.

“It’s scary,” said a Chinese Ph.D. student at UNC Chapel Hill. “You don’t know if you’ll be the next one.”

US cancels visas for Nigerian, other international students

No UTME candidates will take exam outside state of registration – JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates will not sit for the board’s examination outside their state of registration.

The announcement was made by JAMB Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

Benjamin revealed that candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) outside their state of registration and residence were sent to the available mock centres closer to their areas.

According to him, the move was because not all the Computer Based Test (CBT) centres were available to conduct the mock examination.

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Benjamin added that all registered centres would be available for the main exercise.

“If centres for mock in Abuja are filled up, and there were available centres in Nassarawa State, candidates will be sent there,” he said.

He, however, added that it was unlikely in the main exercise because there will be more centres conducting the main examination: no candidate would be sent outside their state of residence.

Benjamin further disclosed that early UTME registration also determines the proximity of a candidate’s centre.

If a centre was already filled up, the candidate may be assigned any available centre within the state.

No UTME candidates will take exam outside state of registration – JAMB

NELFUND: How schools, banks are ripping off students

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) said its recent investigations have revealed have uncovered several unethical practices by some institutions of higher learning in the disbursement of the Federal Government Student Loan Fund, NELFUND.

Paul Odenyi, Deputy Director, Communications and Media, NOA quoted the Director General of the Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu as announcing the findings after meeting with NELFUND Managing Director, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, over the weekend.

According to the statement, the findings from investigations conducted by the Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers (COMO) of NOA revealed that the tertiary institutions and banks are conspiring to short-change the students who are beneficiaries of NELFUND.

According to the statement, the reports indicated that certain university officials have been withholding vital information regarding loan disbursements, prompting immediate action from NELFUND.

“The NOA’s feedback shows how specific institutions have, in connivance with some banks, deliberately delayed payments to successful student applicants for personal financial benefit. Some universities fail to acknowledge the NELFUND’s disbursements to the students,” the statement by NOA indicated.

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The statement also quoted Sawyerr as confirming that some institutions are failing to inform students about loan disbursements made in their name while still requiring them to pay tuition fees.

He stated, “Recent findings by NELFUND have shown that some institutions have received student loan disbursements directly into their accounts yet neglect to inform the affected students or record the payments in their financial records, leading to unnecessary confusion.

“Withholding critical financial information from students is not only unethical but also a breach of the principles on which NELFUND was founded. We are prepared to take legal action against any institution engaged in such deceptive practices.”

In response, Mallam Issa-Onilu has issued a strong warning to these institutions and collaborating banks to cease such activities.

“NOA has directed its state directorates to provide further feedback from students across the country to ensure that the Federal Government takes appropriate actions against erring schools and banks,” Mallam Issa-Onilu was quoted as saying.

NELFUND: How schools, banks are ripping off students