Ghana Regrets ‘Unauthorised’ Travel Advisory On Abuja

Ghana has expressed regrets over its Abuja travel advisory to citizens regarding terrorism, kidnappings and other security concerns.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration says  it’s unaware of threat to its citizens in Nigeria’s seat of power and regrets the inconveniences its earlier Abuja travel advisory ‘may have caused to the traveling public.’

Prime Business Africa reports that the Ministry had, in its travel advisory of Wednesday, November 16, 2022, warned its citizens to avoid non-essential travels to Abuja, citing terrorism, kidnapping and other forms of insecurity as serious concerns.

But in a follow-up advisory tagged, Re: Security Update in Abuja, Nigeria, which the Ministry issued to ‘all media houses,’ the foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Ministry said it is not aware of any threat targeted at Ghanaians ‘who continue to live in harmony with their Nigerian brothers and sisters.’

The Statement reads: ”The Ministry of Foreign of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration wishes to refer to the travel advisory published this evening, Wednesday 16th November, 2022 advising against non-essential travel to Abuja and wishes to state that the statement was unathorised.

”The Ministry is not aware of any threat targeted at  Ghanaians who continue to live in harmony with their Nigerian brothers and sisters.

”The Ministry of foreign Affairs and Regional Integration regrets any inconvenience this may have caused to the travelling public,” it said.

The Ministry’s  initial statement titled “Security Update In Abuja, Nigeria”  had  informed ”the travelling public about security developments in Abuja, Nigeria, and the subsequent directive by local authorities to hotels operating in residential buildings to shut down.

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“Accordingly, the public is advised to avoid non-essential travel to Abuja, due to the unpredictable security situation in the city, and the high danger of terrorism, criminality, inter-communal conflict, armed attacks, and kidnappings.

“Whilst advising travellers who must travel out of necessity to Abuja to take precautionary measures, the Ministry will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the public when the situation improves.”