Posted by By PHILIP NWOSU and CHIDI IFENKWEM on
Ninety six hours after the United States shut its embassy in Nigeria over security threats, the British government has warned its citizens to avoid Nigeria like a plague.
Ninety six hours after the United States shut its embassy in Nigeria over security threats, the British government has warned its citizens to avoid Nigeria like a plague. The warning which was issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth officer of the British government weekend, said if its citizens must travel to Nigeria, they must avoid going to places like Bakassi Peninsula, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states and also be cautious when in Lagos.
"We advice against all travels to the Bakassi Peninsula, we also advice against all but essential travel by boat and road to the riverine areas in Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states.
"Localised outbreak of civil unrest can occur at short notice. Details and advice are circulated via the British High Commission's community liaison officers' network.
"Violent crime is prevalent in the south of the country, including Lagos."
The warning which was updated on Friday, June 17, 2005, barely few hours after the US closed its mission in Nigeria for fear of an attack by suspected terrorists, reminded British citizens to be aware of a threat by leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, Osama Bin Laden to rout the government of Nigeria.
"You should be aware of the threat of terrorism in Nigeria.
A statement issued by Osama Bin Laden in February 2003 called for an uprising by Muslims in a number of countries including Nigeria.
"He suggested that ‘faithful Muslims' rise up against the Nigerian government. He also referred to ‘support for brothers' in Nigeria in December 2004."
Apart from Nigeria, the country had updated travel advice to its citizens, warning them to be cautious when travelling to United States, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Ethiopia, Italy, Cambodia, Macao and China.
It also warned its citizens to be wary when travelling to Iraq, Azerbaijan, Hong Kong and Syria.
The British government also warned against travelling with airlines within the country, insisting that only three airlines were approved by it for use by its citizens.
It frowns at illegal roadblocks mounted by the police, urging its citizens to, "keep your car windows and doors locked and valuables out of sight.
"There are authorised as well as unauthorised vehicle checkpoints throughout Nigeria. Some are for security checks, others to extort small payment of money. Travellers should slow down at any type of checkpoint and use common sense at all times."
The United States, Britain and Germany had last week closed their consulates in Lagos, attributing the closure to a threat from terrorists.
Meanwhile, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr H.H.S Viswanathan weekend denied personal or official knowledge of any security scare insisting that the Indian High Commission was never shut as claimed in the papers.
Viswanathan, who said he got wind of the story through the media like every other person, believed, however, that whatever news it was emanated from the United States Embassy.
"We did not close the embassy. Our embassy was open even yesterday (Friday). But what I read from newspapers and saw on T.V is that there was security scare, I believe, which the American Embassy received. And they worked together with the Nigerian authorities. So, they had closed the embassies," said the Indian High Commissioner.
Asked on the actual nature of the security report, Viswanathan simply said: "I have no idea."
The Indian High Commission is situated on Walter Carrington Street (formerly Eleke Crescent) along with U.S., Italy, Germany, Russsia and Britain.