In a shocking turn of events, an explosion occurred at the High Commission of Canada in Nigeria, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives. The explosion prompted the Canadian government to temporarily suspend operations at its diplomatic office until further notice.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly confirmed the incident, stating, "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." The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation.

As a result of the incident, the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria issued a travel advisory, cautioning against non-essential travel to the country, including the capital city of Abuja. The advisory cited the unpredictable security situation throughout Nigeria, highlighting the significant risks of terrorism, crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks, and kidnappings.

This latest development comes shortly after the United States government issued a notice, alerting its nationals of increased terrorism threats targeting prominent hotels in Nigeria's major cities. The U.S. Department of State acknowledged credible information pointing to an elevated threat level, urging American citizens to consider these risks when arranging lodging or visiting major hotels in Nigeria.

Notably, the United Kingdom has also raised concerns about the likelihood of terrorist attacks throughout Nigeria. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advised its citizens against undertaking trips to several states, including Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, and riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River. Additionally, the FCDO advised against non-essential travel to Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa, Niger, Sokoto, and Kogi States, within 20km of the border with Niger in Kebbi State, Abia State, non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers States, Plateau State, Taraba State, Anambra State, and Imo State.

It is worth noting that around 117,000 British tourists visit Nigeria annually, and while most visits are trouble-free, a small number of British citizens encounter problems. The FCDO advised British citizens to take sensible precautions to protect their safety while in Nigeria.

As investigations into the explosion at the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria continue, diplomatic offices and foreign governments are urging caution and vigilance for their citizens, given the heightened security risks in the country.