The Australian Government has issued a travel advisory to its citizens living in Nigeria.
The warning is coming amid high threats of insecurity and the recent flooding that has ravaged some states in the country.
This was announced on the Consulate’s website in a travel advisory issued to Australians on Wednesday.
In the advisory, the Consulate advised Australian citizens to check the media for updates, stating that the potential for terrorism, kidnapping, crime and civil unrest remains high throughout Nigeria.
The consulate warned its citizens to plan their travel and obtain expert security advice and assistance before leaving for Nigeria, if necessary.
The travel reads: “There have been significant casualties and widespread damage to infrastructure caused by severe flooding. Essential services may be disrupted. Follow the advice of local authorities and check the media for updates.
“The potential for terrorism, kidnapping, crime and civil unrest remains high throughout Nigeria. If, despite our advice, you undertake travel within Nigeria, research routes and get professional security advice and support before departing.
“We advise you reconsider your need to travel to Nigeria overall, including the capital Abuja and surrounding areas, due to high threats of terrorist attack and kidnapping, the volatile security situation, possible violent civil unrest and high levels of violent crime.
“Do not travel to Adamawa, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara States.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, on Wednesday, denied that Nigeria entered into an agreement with Cameroon to build a dam that will mitigate flooding when water from the Lagdo Dam is released.
The minister stated this while appearing for budget defence before Senate Committee on Water Resources in Abuja .
He said there is no record of such an agreement but while the government is in the process of building the Dasin Dam to mitigate flooding from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam, there are engineering concerns.
Adamu said Cameroon did not inform Nigeria about the release of water from the Lagdo Dam until 24 hours after it was released.
The minister further said the Lagdo Dam contributes only one percent to the flooding in Nigeria, even though sometimes the water is released without notice.
According to him, 80 percent of the floods in parts of Nigeria are as a result of ceaseless rainfalls.
Floods have hit parts of Nigeria in the last two months with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) saying that about 2.5 million persons were affected and over 603 persons killed by the flooding caused by torrential rainfall of late.
Houses and farmlands have been submerged in Lagos, Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Edo, Delta, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Ebonyi, Anambra, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Imo, Abia States, and the Federal Capital Territory.
Also,The presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called on his counterparts in other parties to suspend their campaigns and join him to help victims of floods across states of the federation.
Obi made the call on Wednesday while addressing journalists after his visit to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State at his Abuja private residence where he had gone to discuss modalities on his planned visit to flood sites in Benue and other states.
The former Anambra State governor is in the 2023 race for Aso Rock’s top job alongside Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party, amongst others.
Obi said he expected other presidential candidates to show concerns to the plight of victims of flooding, considering how millions were spent on nomination forms alone.
Floods have hit parts of Nigeria in the last two months with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) saying that about 2.5 million persons were affected and over 603 persons killed by the flooding caused by torrential rainfall of late.
Houses and farmlands have been submerged in Lagos, Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Edo, Delta, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Ebonyi, Anambra, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Imo, Abia States, and the Federal Capital Territory.
Similarly, Obi reacted to the allegations by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State that he detained him in Anambra while he served as governor, pointing out that he had no such powers.
Obi said he was confined to his local government during the said election and urged El-Rufai to put the incident behind himself.
