The Government of the United Kingdom has issued a fresh travel advisory, warning its citizens against rising insecurity across Nigeria and naming 20 states as high-risk areas.
In the latest advisory by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, obtained on Sunday, the UK cited the increasing incidents of terrorism, kidnapping, armed violence and intercommunal clashes across the country.
The FCDO warned against all travel to six northern states – Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, and Zamfara – due to threats from Boko Haram and ISWAP, particularly around transport hubs, religious centres and public gatherings.
It also discouraged all but essential travel to Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Plateau and Taraba states and the outer suburbs of Abuja due to a surge in violent crime and ongoing military operations.
In the South-South, the advisory warned against travel to Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States because of militant activity and frequent kidnappings around oil and gas facilities. The UK also flagged security tensions in the South East, where clashes between separatist groups and security forces have made the region unstable.
Even in the South West, including Lagos, it cited an increasing number of cases of robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping; warning that though major terrorist attacks were rare, ISWAP had, in 2022, claimed responsibility for some attacks in the region.
The British government urged its nationals to be vigilant at all times, avoid public gatherings, and strictly follow local security guidance while in Nigeria.
