The Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Ministry says its press statement issued on Wednesday asking Ghanaians to avoid non-essential travels to Abuja, Nigeria was unauthorised. 

The Ministry thus wants it to be disregarded completely. 

In a separate statement, it said it is unaware any Ghanaian has been targeted in Abuja.

“The Ministry 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 unauthorised. 

“The Ministry is unaware of any threat targeted at Ghanaians who continue to live in harmony with their Nigerian brothers and sisters,” the statement said. 

It thus apologised for any inconvenience caused. 

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration regrets any inconvenience this may have caused to the traveling public,” the statement concluded. 

Background 

The Ministry in a travel advisory note dated November 16, 2022, advised that non-essential travels to the Nigerian capital should be avoided.

This, the Ministry explained, is due to “the unpredictable security situation in the city and the high danger of terrorism, criminality, inter-communal conflict, armed attacks, and kidnappings.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration wishes to inform 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,” the Ministry stated.