Canadian High Commission Suspends Operations Over Embassy Explosion, Issues Travel Alert

The Canada High Commission in Nigeria is launching an investigation into the fire outbreak that occurred on Monday, causing significant damage to parts of its building in Abuja.

The fire outbreak at the High Commission on Monday resulted in a tragic loss of two lives, while two others sustained injuries. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly expressed her condolences for the victims in a statement issued shortly after the incident.

“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.

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.

— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) November 6, 2023

In response to the incident, the Canada High Commission in Nigeria announced on social media that it has temporarily suspended its operations until further notice. However, the Commission did not provide specific details regarding the explosion, leaving many questions unanswered.

In addition to the suspension of its operations, Canada’s High Commission issued a travel advisory, joining the United States and the United Kingdom in warning against nonessential travel to Nigeria, including the capital city, Abuja. The advisory cited the “unpredictable security situation throughout the country and the significant risk of terrorism, crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks, and kidnappings” as reasons for the caution.

The fire outbreak and subsequent travel warnings have left many Nigerians and international travelers concerned about the safety and security of the region. Authorities in Nigeria are also expected to investigate the incident further to determine its cause and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

The Canada High Commission’s investigation and the international travel advisories will undoubtedly remain topics of discussion as the situation unfolds, with the safety of residents and travelers to Nigeria at the forefront of everyone’s concerns.