By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
UK Issues Fresh Security Alert, Warns Citizens to Avoid 6 Nigerian States
The United Kingdom has renewed its travel warning to citizens, advising against visits to several parts of Nigeria over rising insecurity marked by terrorism, violent crimes, and kidnappings.
In a recent Foreign Travel Advisory published on the UK government’s official website, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) cautioned that insecurity is worsening across Nigeria, with criminal and intercommunal violence affecting multiple regions.
The FCDO specifically urged British nationals to avoid all travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, and Zamfara States, citing heightened threats from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), especially around transport hubs, places of worship, and crowded areas.
The advisory also warned that humanitarian workers, vehicles, and infrastructure are frequent targets of terrorists and criminal gangs.
Furthermore, the FCDO advised against 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.
It noted that violent crimes involving firearms have spread from the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory to more central and affluent areas.
British government staff in Nigeria have reportedly been directed to limit movements to the Abuja metropolitan area. The advisory also cautioned against joining or observing protests in Abuja, warning that such demonstrations could quickly turn violent.
The report painted a grim picture of the North-East, where military operations continue in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe, adding that the risk of retaliatory attacks remains high. In Maiduguri, UK citizens were told that any further security deterioration could make evacuation extremely difficult.
In the South-East and South-South, British citizens were advised to avoid the riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States, where militant groups have carried out attacks on oil and gas infrastructure.
The advisory also highlighted the danger of armed robbery, kidnapping, and intercommunal clashes in these regions.
It expressed concern over the activities of secessionist groups in the South-East, warning that violent encounters between such groups and security forces often occur, posing potential risks to bystanders and foreign nationals.
The South-West, including Lagos, was also not exempt, with the advisory noting that muggings, car-jackings, kidnappings, and armed robberies are common, particularly in major cities.
The UK government urged its citizens in Nigeria to remain highly cautious, stay updated through local media, avoid large gatherings, and follow security directives issued by local authorities.
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