‘Our state is safe’ — Delta kicks against UK travel advisory

The Delta government says lives and properties, including that of investors and foreign visitors, are safe in the state.

This statement comes on the backdrop of the report by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), warning its citizens against travelling to 12 states in Nigeria.

According to the report, there is a high threat of kidnapping throughout Nigeria, particularly in states in the south-east, north-east, and and south-south, including Delta.

But speaking on the report in Asaba, the Delta capital, Charles Aniagwu, the commissioner for information, said the state is surprised to have been included on the list of countries listed by the UK.

He said Catriona Laing, the British high commissioner, visited the state on September 21 and can attest to the peaceful nature of the state.

“Those of you who have been in our state capital and of course, Warri, the commercial nerve centre of the state, and indeed all the other local communities in Delta, can attest to the fact that Delta has been quite peaceful and that is why you have seen the influx of persons coming in to invest,” he said.

“We were taken aback as to why the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), in their latest travel advisory report, included Delta in the list of 12 states where they are asking their citizens not to visit on account of possible attack by Boko Haram.

“We want to believe that it was an error because just last month, precisely on September 21, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms Catriona Laing, was here in Delta.

“She lauded the state government for what we are doing and appreciated the fact that she was warmly welcomed. And she even visited some communities without any hitch or element of any report that points to the fact that her life was threatened. So, we couldn’t have imagined where this particular advisory came from.

“For the record, Delta is very safe; Delta is welcoming and we are available for both local and foreign investors.

“Delta is much more conducive for anybody to operate, whether in terms of business, leisure, work or whatever is worth doing and justifiable in any reasonable human society.

“We have tried to build a very peaceful state, because we realise that peace is the bedrock of whatever form of development you are bringing to bear and to add value to the lives of the people.”

The commissioner also said the state government will ensure the provision of policies that will promote peace.

“As an administration, we have continued along that trajectory to ensure that we evolve policies and programmes that will help us to ensure that there is peace all the way,” Aniagwu said.

“We encourage the British authorities and indeed any other foreign national to continue to see reason to do business with Delta, travel down to Delta in terms of business, leisure and any other form of interaction.”