Nigeria safe for tourists, says Lai

Lai Mohammed, minister of information, says Nigeria is a safe destination for tourists and business people alike.

Mohammed said this on Monday while bidding farewell to Latin America Motorcycle Association (LAMA) who toured the country.

The bikers toured the country and visited historical sites and museums for 14 days.

Some of the states they visited were Lagos, Oyo and Edo among others.

Mohammed thanked the bikers for ignoring the “naysayers” and seeing things for themselves.

“From the report that I have received, this tour is a great success. It is also an attestation to the fact that Nigeria is indeed a safe destination for tourists and business people alike. Yes, there are security challenges here and there – and this is not peculiar to Nigeria,” the minister said.

“But our country is safer today than it was before the advent of this administration in 2015, thanks to the political will shown by the administration and the commitment of our security agencies. The great bikers who crisscrossed our country by road are all here, safe and sound! They are not armchair analysts. They are practical men and women who zoomed across the country on their power bikes.

“No one can tell the story better than them. And the feedback we have received is overwhelmingly positive. I congratulate you all for this great adventure. I thank you for ignoring the naysayers and for having the courage and the confidence and the open mind to see things for yourselves.

“As you go, I urge you all to become great ambassadors of our great country, Nigeria and I hope you will come back here in the not-too-distant future.”

On his part, Marip Nieves, president of LAMA, said the tour was an “incredible experience.”

“There was so much friendship. It has been the trip of my life. This (Nigeria) is part of my home,” Nieves said.

“Those who didn’t study history will be victims of repeating it. You have an incredible civilisation. Africa is the cradle for civilisation.”