GOVERNOR Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State has described the travel advice issued on Tuesday by the British government, warning its citizens against travelling to the… Niger Delta, region as misleading.
He described the warning as an “unacceptable misrepresen-tation” of the situation in the region, regretting that such “false designation” as a risk zone was actually escalating crisis in the area.
Sylva said the state is safe and secure, stressing that it hosted the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) last weekend, which attracted artistes and guests from across the world, without any breach of security.
A national newspaper had reported Wednesday that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the Government of the United Kingdom had in an online travel advice cautioned British citizens “against all travels to the Niger Delta states of Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers,” and urged British nationals in these states to leave.
The advice, which also designated Akwa Ibom State as a risk area, alleged a “high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks” in the Niger Delta states.
But Sylva, in a statement issued in Yenagoa by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, said the travel advice, like those regularly issued by other Western countries, was capable of sabotaging the peace process in the region.
“Bringing in investors is part of the solution to the Niger Delta question. Asking investors not to come to the region is counter-productive,” Sylva noted.
According to him, “the Niger Delta people have voiced their grouse and their aspiration and steps are being taken to address them.
“Leaders of the people are currently on top of the situation in the zone.
“We state in unequivocal terms that the Niger Delta cannot be administered from outside. We are not aware that the British High Commission is located in any of the states of the Niger Delta.
“The commission, as we know, is located in Abuja and Lagos, and it is impossible to stay outside the region to have a true picture of events on the ground.”