Following an explosion at the Canada High Commission in Abuja, the Canadian government has launched an investigation into the incident.
The explosion, which occurred on Monday, November 06, 2023, claimed the lives of two individuals and left two others injured. The incident has prompted Canada to issue a travel advisory, urging its citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Nigeria.
Canadian Foreign Minister, Melanie Joly, expressed her condolences to the victims' families in a brief statement on social media.
"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.
Following the explosion, Canada's High Commission in Nigeria announced the temporary suspension of its operations until further notice.
The Commission did not provide details about the incident but cited the unpredictable security situation and the significant risk of terrorism, crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks, and kidnappings in Nigeria as reasons for the travel advisory.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed his sympathies for the victims and the Canadian government.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu assured the Canadian authorities of the full support of the Nigerian government.
He extended his prayers for the souls of the departed and wished a speedy recovery to all injured individuals affected by the incident.