FG issues alert to Nigerians travelling to UK

The Federal Government has advised Nigerian citizens planning to travel to the United Kingdom to be cautious of potential violence following the recent killing of three young girls at a concert.

The statement, released in the early hours of Monday, August 5th, and signed by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Eche Abu-Obe, noted that the ongoing protests in the United Kingdom have turned violent following the killing of three young girls at a concert.

The press release, which was posted on the official X page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, partly read: “There is an increased risk of violence and disorder occasioned by the recent riots in the UK, stemming from the killing of three young girls at a concert. The violence has assumed dangerous proportions, as evidenced by reported attacks on law enforcement agents and damage to infrastructure.

“Demonstrations by far-right and other extra-parliamentary groups in parts of the UK in recent weeks have been large and, in some instances, unruly.

“These disturbances have only been aggravated by the unfortunate deaths of the three girls, spawning an anti-immigration narrative with particular emphasis on targeting Muslim immigrants or persons of colour.”

Recall that in on July 29, 2024, a knife attack took place at a children’s yoga and dance workshop. Three children were killed and eight other children were injured, with five of them in critical condition. Two adults at the event were also critically injured. Following the stabbing, anti-Muslim disinformation and rumours have sparked Islamophobic protests and riots across the UK, which have been described as the worst rioting in 13 years.

The Financial Times described the protests and riots as being fuelled by wider Islamophobia, concerns over crime, anti-migration sentiment, xenophobia, nationalism, and perceived biases by the police and media.

Vanguard