Ghanaian Authority Disowns Security Advisory Urging Citizens To Stay Away From Abuja

By Ayodele Oni

A security advisory purportedly issued by Ghanian authority warning its citizens to stay away from Nigeria’s federal capital, Abuja may be fake after all.

The security advisory, with name and logo of Ghanaian ministry of foreign affairs, was issued on Wednesday, warning citizens from travelling to Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

It stated that the warning became imperative as Nigeria had asked some hotels to close, citing “the directive by local authorities to hotels operating in residential buildings to shut down.”

It also said there was a “high danger of terrorism, criminality, inter-communal conflict, armed attacks, and kidnappings.”

In a rejoinder tweeted on Thursday morning, the government declared that the statement was unauthorized, regretting the inconvenience it may have caused.

The rejoinder read, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration wishes to refer to the travel advisory published this evening, Wednesday, November 16, 2022, advising against non-essential travel to Abuja and wishes to state that the statement was unauthorized.

“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.”

There had been similar warnings earlier issued by the United Kingdom and United States, citing possible escalation in cases of banditry and kidnapping.

The federal government, through some of its agencies however assured residents at the federal capital and any part of the country of adequate protection.