The Federal Government says the recent advisory issued to Americans living in Nigeria by the US embassy would create a “needless panic”.
Recall that in an “emergency information”, the US said there are “elevated threats” to major hotels in Nigeria’s “larger cities”. The advisory said the Nigerian security agencies are working to counter the threat.
Speaking at a meeting with media executives and editors in Abuja yesterday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the Government has always prioritised the safety of citizens and foreigners.
Idris said, “We understand the concerns raised by the United States government in their recent travel advisory; but believe that it is imperative that we do not generalize isolated incidents across the entire hospitality industry”.
“What we have seen is that such advisories do not achieve anything other than needless panic, and they can have severe adverse economic impact, let alone what they do to undermine the Government’s efforts to attract investment.
“We have consistently prioritised the safety and well-being of all visitors to our country. We have implemented comprehensive security measures, both at the federal and state levels, to ensure the safety of tourists and international guests.”
The Minister further said the security agencies have been busy securing the country. He added that the Federal Government is working to cushion the effects of the removal of subsidy on premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol.
