UK Warns Citizens Against Travel To Six Nigerian States Over Insecurity
By ANITA KNIGHT
THE United Kingdom has issued a fresh travel advisory warning its citizens against visiting several parts of Nigeria due to escalating insecurity, including terrorism, violent crime, kidnappings, and communal clashes.
In its latest Foreign Travel Advice published on GOV.UK and sighted on Sunday, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said insecurity “is increasing across Nigeria,” with incidents of “kidnapping, violent crime, and intercommunal violence” occurring nationwide.
The advisory urged British nationals to remain vigilant, review personal security measures, and have contingency plans in place.
The FCDO advised against all travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, and Zamfara states, citing a “high and increasing threat” from Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) — particularly around transport hubs, places of worship, and crowded events.
It further discouraged all but essential travel to Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Plateau, and Taraba states, as well as the outer suburbs of Abuja. The statement noted that violent crime, including armed robbery and kidnapping, has spread from Abuja’s outskirts to central districts.
“There are protests in Abuja from time to time, which can turn violent,” the FCDO warned, advising citizens to monitor local media and avoid demonstrations.
The advisory painted a particularly tense picture of the North-East, where military operations continue in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, cautioning that further security deterioration could make it difficult for foreigners in Maiduguri to evacuate.
In the South-East and South-South, the UK advised against all travel to the riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states, citing militant activity and attacks on oil infrastructure. It also raised concerns about “secessionist violence” in the South-East, noting that foreign nationals could be unintentionally caught in clashes.
The advisory concluded by warning that violent crimes such as armed robbery, mugging, and kidnapping remain common in major South-Western cities, including Lagos.
