Lai Mohammed Blasts U.S. For Warning Its Citizens Against Traveling To Nigeria

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has expressed dissatisfaction towards a recent statement by the United States, warning its citizens against travelling to 20 Nigerian States due to risk kidnapping, robberies and other armed attack.

While hosting a delegation from the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN) on Thursday, Lai Mohammed stated that US was the subject of terrorism attacks, as there is no week when a killing is not recorded.

He said: “Recently, all the newspapers carried the negative story that 20 states in Nigeria are not safe, according to a US report. We are in Nigeria, how can we believe the claim that 20 states in Nigeria are not safe? That is not correct. There is no state in Nigeria that is not safe today.

“Is there any week they are not killing people in the US by either shooting in schools or driveways, or people committing suicide or mass bombing? How many of these stories do their media celebrate? If they want to tell their people not to come to Nigeria, it is not for us to help them propagate it.”

It will be recalled that U.S, in the travel warning, listed the Nigerian states to be avoided as Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Zamfara, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

“The ability of the Mission to provide assistance to U.S. citizens in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states remains severely limited. The Department recommends against all but essential travel to the following states due to the risk of kidnappings, robberies, and other armed attacks,” a part of the warning read.

“The U.S. Mission advises all U.S. citizens to be particularly vigilant around government security facilities; churches, mosques, and other places of worship; locations where large crowds may gather, such as hotels, clubs, bars, restaurants, markets, shopping malls; and other areas frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers.

“Security measures in Nigeria remain heightened due to threats posed by extremist groups, and U.S. citizens may encounter police and military checkpoints, additional security, and possible road blocks throughout the country.”