I'm not a Nigerian and have been living in Lagos for sometime now.
Recently got a job offer which requires me to relocate to Aba.
A Nigerian friend advised me to reject this as Aba was not a safe place for expats like us. Is it true?

false!

who b that person , she wan pour sain sian 4 your garri, if d job pays good, move your ass

if/when you get kidnapped you can split the bounty with them
then you retire from your job and do it again. double your dollar if you ask me

aba is not a safe place but then again which city in naija is. people are still living in aba so you try to do what they do to survive. if your pay is going to be bigger then you can relocate to aba, or if there is something you wish to achieve there but apart from there, you better find another place

Are the mean streets of new york a safe place? what of the streets of san fran or LA? What of Boston or Atlanta?

Of course, no where is totally safe. It is all about where you live. If you are that concerned, perhaps you should talk to your employers about having them provide security. Better yet, they should hire a local, who is intimate with the area, to do whatever job you are being sent there to do.

I hope this helps.

where u come from? Garden of Eden?
I have lived in many major cities of this World, and I tell u, Aba ranks very low in violence compared to NY, ATL, HOUSTON, LA, CHICAGO, TORONTO, LONDON, AMSTERDAM, LAGOS, KANO, JHN_BURG, MUMBAI, etc.
I know a lot of foreign expertriates working in and around ABA, but if u write the word Expat and place it on ur forehead, even a dummy will acknowledge the presence of another.

You are going to Aba? hmmmm, beware of the bakaasi boys. They can deliver jungle justice at a whim. Besides, Aba is about to be waterlogged. Its so sad the ngwa habitats refused to do something about it.

I wonder why some folks spew fear and falsehood. If you can live in Lagos or major cities in Nigeria, Aba ranks higher in terms of Security.

Most big Naija companie have presence in Aba, Guiness, NB Plc,Unilever, and Co. I think Citi Bank used to have an office in Aba like wise IEA.

adconline:

Most big Naija companie have presence in Aba, Guiness, NB Plc,Unilever, and Co. I think Citi Bank used to have an office in Aba like wise IEA.

Yea, you said it: used to.

@Ynot,
Yea, you said it: used to.
because Citi Bank operations in Nigeria got Indiginized because of Soludization of Nigerian Banks

May_flower:

I'm not a Nigerian and have been living in Lagos for sometime now.
Recently got a job offer which requires me to relocate to Aba.
A Nigerian friend advised me to reject this as Aba was not a safe place for expats like us. Is it true?

Please disregard all the negative comments you might have heard concerning Aba. I bet you'll come to realise that Aba is a lot safer than most other big cities. I woldn't advise you to decline your deployment, because it will pay you to explore other part of this beautiful country. Just in case you make up your mind and get into town, you can PM me and I'll be glad to make your aquaintance and show you round.
Good Luck!

since you have lived in lagos, aba would be ok,

i reside in ph, dont let ijaw boys on this forum hear this ooo
you wont millions mere hearing you are coming over

Well tell me where's safe in this world, its a false assertion, every society has its own ills, but saying aba is unsafe is an insult to residents of the place because your life isnt more precious than theirs,got friends living there and ve not heard of anything lately.i'd advise you go start your job there and employ the services of a local that can always help you around there. BE CAREFUL THOUGH!

My dea Aba is far much safe.
All is ok.Aba is predominantly occupied by Igbos who are more or less into merchandise and are hospitable generally

@poster,
Aba is safer for expats than PH,
some oil companies in PH have relocated to Aba and Umuahia due to the uncountable militant attacks in the Niger Delta.
Previously, there were few reported cases of armed robbery and burglary in Aba but recently it is not quite much.
So plan your relocation and start ur new job.

Regards,

Row - Na we get ABA. for more info hit me up for a chat

Thank you all for being so supportive and encouraging. After going through all these posts, I'm looking forward to my posting in Aba

Go there and enjoy yourself.
There are plenty of fun there
All the best

Aba is a free violent place but aba is also a dirty place to be

Compared to PH, its a haven for exaptriates. abi

The company in question has given me a choice after noticing my skeptical approach in accepting the Aba offer. I can choose Aba or I can opt to move to their Enugu branch. Now, somebody please tell me which is better. They need an answer from me before the end of next week. I badly need a job and this is the only one in the offing

in that case, go for ENUGU, its by far cleaner and more quiet.

but then, ABA is closer to Port Harcourt. . . which is the city of Expats like urself, easier to breeze in and out!

Does Enugu have any expats at all? Do you think I'd look like a misfit there if I choose Enugu? How far is Port Harcout from Enugu? God, I've never been so much confused in my life

If your attitude towards safety is anything like mine, you should stay far, far away from the Niger Delta region.

@Seun
I love my life more than anything else, My first and primary concern is safety. All the people I have been speaking to are giving me mixed responses, When I think of the burning issues I have to deal with, I just can't let go of this offer. That's how I came to this forum to seek help from all of you. Which one do you think I should opt for, Aba or Enugu?

(or should I wait for something to come up in Lagos itself? Don't think it is going to happen anytime soon )

Mayflower,

The question is would stand out in public as you didn't say which country you come from,my guess is if you from an African country nobody would notice and you wouldn't be in anymore danger than the average Aba or Enugu resident but if you are European then my advice you take extra precautions as there are Commercial Militants all over the place.
Better still you can talk to other Ex-pats like yourself for advice.Anyone you can live in Lagos can live in any place in Nigeria

@ mayflower

security wise, Aba and Enugu are both safe for expats. but since u dont want to take any risks, i'd advice u take the Enugu offer. its farther from the dreaded niger delta (like seun suggested. . .lol!) besides, its a more beautiful city than Aba. though Aba is somewhat like Lagos, u know. . . hustle and bustle, commercial activity everywhere, everybody in a hurry.
its your decision at the end of the day anyhow, so choose!

yea, and to get to Port Harcourt from Enugu, you'd have to travel past 3 cities. . . Aba being the third.

Enugu it is.

both Aba and Enugu are safer than Lagos

for crime maybe for expats i dont think so!

And if Nigeria wants to save Lagos from the impending implosion from human population, they should begin to somehow ''force'' investors, both foreign and local, to spread to other parts of the country, especially the East (there are sea ports in Calabar, Onne and PH) and also the North. Everything Lagos, Lagos, yet it is the dirtiest and most run-down city in the world

Good point not necessarily force other states can entice them, it all falls to transport links and perceived security

A lot of Nigerians like to express themselves on issues that they don't even know anything about just to feel among. I can bet that the guy who gave the advice on Aba has not never been there before! YOU STAY IN YOUR TINY ENCLAVE AND GIVE JUDGEMENT ON WHAT YOU KNOW NOTHING OF! If I may ask: IS IRAQ SAFE? NO! But you have expatriates flocking there even against the advice of their home governments. You have the right to choose what you want, taking existing factors into consideration.
My Advice: Aba is relatively safe. It's about 30km from Port Harcourt and it's safer for expatriates than Port Harcourt is. Just be careful, because a few might try exploit you (419-wise)

Rottweiller,

Sir,you need to live in Aba to get conned!.No need to bring 419 into the matter

@ xtycod
Clown, please understand my point. When we talk about 419, it's not just about asking an ignorant individual to send/bring money from abroad for something that is non-existent! When you go to a chemist to buy a drug like MIST MAG and what you get is ordinary chalk mixed with water, WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT? When you go to the spare parts shop to get brake pads for your car and what you get is ordinary rubber attached to the metal part of the pad, WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT? It's all 419 in the local parlance! I was only advising the gentleman. onyiberibe