Two Nigerians with valid visas, who were into the United States have alleged that they were humiliated and dehumanised by the US immigration and border protection officials at the Los Angeles International Airport and the Abu Dhabi Airport in the United Arab Emirates.

The victims, Femi Olaniyi and Popoola Olayemi, the latter having travelled to the US with his pregnant wife and two children, said their two-year multiple entry visas were revoked without any explanation before they were sent back to Nigeria by the US authorities.

Olaniyi, a real estate businessman, said he obtained his visa from the US Consulate in Lagos on December 23, 2016, adding that he had planned for a holiday in the US with his wife.

He explained that his spouse, a police officer, could not make the trip due to her official schedule.

According to him, he had planned to spend some days in California and visit a family in Indianapolis, stating that he had a hotel reservation, about $300 cash and $3,000 on his visa gold.

He said he left Lagos on a Turkish Airline on February 21, 2017 and on getting to the Los Angeles Airport, an immigration officer demanded his reason for visiting America which he explained.

He added that the officer also took his phone and travel documents, noting that he later captured his biometric data.

Olaniyi stated, “He demanded my phone which I gave to him. He went inside an office with the telephone and documents and later checked my luggage. He asked about my family which I told him.

“He later said he wanted my biometrics. He then asked me to sign some documents, but as I attempted to read them, he got angry and he handcuffed me and locked me in a cold cell, but after some minutes, I banged on the door and told him that the cell was too cold for me, so he moved me to another cell.