The Canadian High Commission in Abuja has suspended its operations due to a fire incident that occurred on Monday. The commission, located at 13010G, Palm Close, Diplomatic Drive in the Central Business District of Abuja, had no staff present except for security personnel.
In a social media post on its official handle, the high commission announced a temporary suspension of its operations, including visa and immigration services for those seeking to visit or emigrate to Canada. Services for Canadians in Nigeria and other countries, such as Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, including adoption and surrogacy, birth abroad, citizenship services, marriage abroad, passport services, notarial services, studying abroad, and visa and immigration services, have also been temporarily halted.
A security personnel at the commission mentioned that staff would be available on the premises the following day, Wednesday, November 8.
The Canadian foreign minister, Melanie Joly, expressed her condolences for the deaths caused by the explosion in a statement posted on social media, confirming that there was an explosion at the High Commission in Nigeria and that the fire had been extinguished.
A fire incident occurred at the Canadian High Commission’s building in Abuja, Nigeria, on Monday. The fire started in the generator house while power generating plants were undergoing maintenance, just minutes before noon. Two individuals lost their lives, and two others sustained injuries in the incident.