The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, has warned Nigerians planning to travel to Australia to be wary of the
prevailing security situation in some cities of the country.
This was contained in a statement by the acting spokesperson
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, on Tuesday in
Abuja.
The statement said the warning became imperative due to
reported cases of discrimination, harassment and verbal abuse targeted at
foreigners.
According to the statement, while Australia is generally
known for its multiculturalism and tolerance, incidents of Islamophobia and
antisemitism have occurred recently in certain areas.
It said that in early December 2024, a disturbing incident
occurred in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra, where a car was set ablaze and
anti-Israel graffiti was sprayed on nearby buildings.
It added that the event was part of a broader increase in
both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in Australia, coinciding with
international conflicts and tensions.
The statement therefore advised Nigerians to be mindful of
the prevailing cultural and social dynamics to ensure their safety and comfort,
recommending extra vigilance and necessary precautions.
“Nigerian travellers and residents of Australia who
experience or witness any form of racist attack or harassment should contact
the High Commission of Nigeria at 26 Guilfoyle St, Yarralumla ACT 2600,
Canberra, Australia,” the statement added.
The Australian government earlier on Tuesday called on its
citizens to reconsider the need to take a trip to Nigeria.
A statement by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade, DFAT, on Tuesday cited a volatile security environment marked by terrorism,
kidnapping, and the potential outbreak of civil unrest as reasons for the
advice.
“Reconsider your need to travel to Nigeria overall due to
the volatile security situation and threat of terrorism, kidnapping, violent
crime, and the risk of civil unrest.
“There’s a high risk of terrorist attacks across Nigeria by
various militant groups. Attacks could be indiscriminate or may target foreign
interests.
“Potential targets include places where crowds gather, such
as hotels, bars, restaurants, political meetings, government buildings, places
of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, sporting events, transport hubs
and networks, law enforcement facilities, international organisations and camps
for displaced people,” it said.
The warning from the Australian government comes amid recent
data from Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, which reported
2,235,954 abductions between May 2023 and April 2024.
Recall that ransom payments during this period, according to
NBS, amounted to an estimated N2.2 trillion, with an average ransom of N2.7
million per incident.
According to the report, the North-West region accounted for
the highest ransom payments at N1.2 trillion, while the South-East reported the
lowest at N85.4 billion.
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