Canada Issues Travel Alert, Suspends Operations In Nigeria over Fire Outbreak

VAM News update

Following the fire outbreak that erupted at the Canada High Commission in Abuja, the North American country has said it is probing the incident.

Canada also joined the United States and the United Kingdom in issuing a warning against nonessential travel to Nigeria.

On Monday, the High Commission witnessed a fire outbreak that killed two persons and injured two others.

Reacting to the incident, the Canadian Foreign Minister, Melanie Joly, issued a terse statement on X, mourned the victims of the explosion.

“We can confirm there was an explosion at our High Commission in Nigeria. The fire is out and we are working to shed light on what caused this situation. I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of the 2 people killed in this tragedy,” she said.

Also, Canada’s High Commission in Nigeria, said on social media that it had “temporarily suspended operations until further notice”.

However, the Commission was silent on Monday’s explosion, issuing a travel advisory and warning against non-essential travel to Nigeria, including the capital Abuja.

It blamed the decision on “the unpredictable security situation throughout the country and the significant risk of terrorism, crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks and kidnappings”.