Charles axes visit to Nigeria f lashpoint over safety fears

ThE Prince of Wales has been forced to pull out of a visit to a violence-plagued region of Nigeria over security fears.

Charles was to spend time in the central city of Jos on Thursday, the last day of his weeklong visit to West Africa.

But the area – already plagued by political, religious and ethnic conflict as well as violence linked to crime and drugs – has come under a dusk-to-dawn curfew following recent killings. In 2014 and 2015, the Islamist terror group Boko haram left more than 150 dead in two bomb attacks in the region. Yesterday Clarence house officials confirmed that the trip had been cancelled on the ‘advice of the British Government’.

The prince had been due to discuss ‘peace building and conflict resolution issues’ on behalf of the UK Government. An aide said he would instead take part in talks with tribal leaders on the same issues in the capita, Abuja. The Foreign Office said it had pulled the plug on the royal visit because of ‘ security and operational’ issues. A spokesman added: ‘The decision was taken upon advice from the Nigerian government and others.’

Although the statement mentioned Camilla, she was due to accompany the prince only on the first day of his three-day visit to Nigeria, before returning to London. The Foreign Office said it was ‘not aware of any specific threats’. Charles arrives in Nigeria today.

Yesterday the prince spoke of harry and Meghan’s first child as he called for an end to plastic pollution. At a meeting in Accra, Ghana, Charles referred to the prospect of becoming a grandfather again, adding about his future grandchildren: ‘It does seem to me insanity if we are going to bequeath this completely polluted, damaged and destroyed world to them.’