The Prince of Wales was supposed to be travelling to Jos in Nigeria on the final day of the visit to West Africa, but the visit has been cancelled amid security fears after violence in the region, it was announced on Monday on the advice of the British government.
The Prince of Wales is said to be disappointed that he is unable to make the trip. The events that were planned in Jos will now be moved to Abuja so that he can still meet the local people. The Prince will also take part in a discussion about “peace-building and conflict resolution”.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said, “Due to operational constraints beyond our control, we have decided at this time not to include Jos during Their Royal Highnesses visit to Nigeria. We are delighted to have an exciting programme of activity in Abuja and Lagos which will showcase those issues close to The Prince’s and The Duchess’s hearts. The decision was taken upon advice from the Nigerian Government and others involved in security and operational aspects of the visit. We’ve arranged an interesting and engaging programme on Thursday in Abuja, which will include showcasing alternative livelihoods focussing on poultry and Acha supergrain, water aid and a peacebuilding discussion with youth peace ambassadors.”
Jos is a prosperous city of nearly one million inhabitants, but it has been increasingly sucked into the violence that spread across most of central Nigeria this year. At least 14 people were killed in a gunfight on the outskirts of the city just last month. Around 169 people were killed in June after Muslim Fulani herdsmen were accused of attacking members of the Berom tribe, who are mostly Christian. In the city itself, several mosques and churches have been burnt down in tit-for-tat attacks.
