Canada is investigating an explosion at its embassy in Nigeria that killed two people, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said, as Ottawa joined Washington and London in issuing a warning against nonessential travel to the Nigeria.
“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,” Joly said on X.
Canada’s High Commission in Nigeria, without commenting on the explosion, said on social media that it had “temporarily suspended operations until further notice.”
The embassy issued a travel advisory, warning against non-essential travel to Nigeria, including capital Abuja, “due to the unpredictable security situation throughout the country and the significant risk of terrorism, crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks and kidnappings.”
The United States and Britain had said last Friday there was an “elevated threat to major hotels in Nigeria’s larger cities” and warned against travelling to Africa’s most populous nation.
Western countries routinely issue warning about travelling to Nigeria, which the Abuja government often dismisses as lacking merit.
MUENSTER, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 04: Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly gives a statement upon her arrival for bilateral meetings following the G7 Foreign Ministers summit at the historical city hall on November 4, 2022 in Muenster, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)