The United Kingdom has issued a fresh travel advisory warning its citizens to avoid several parts of Nigeria due to a surge in insecurity marked by terrorism, kidnappings, and violent crime.
In its latest Foreign Travel Advice published on GOV.UK and sighted on Sunday, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) cautioned that insecurity “is increasing across Nigeria,” with incidents of “kidnapping, violent crime, and intercommunal violence occurring throughout all regions.”
The FCDO urged British nationals in the country to exercise extreme caution, review their safety measures, and ensure contingency plans are in place.
According to the advisory, British citizens are strongly advised not to travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, and Zamfara states due to “a high and increasing threat from Boko Haram or Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), particularly around transport hubs, religious centres, and large gatherings.”
It added that humanitarian workers and their facilities could also be targeted by terrorists or criminal groups.
The UK government also warned 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, citing heightened risks of violent crime and abductions.
“Violent crime, often involving firearms, has increased and spread from the outer suburbs to more central, wealthier areas of the city,” the advisory stated, noting that British government staff in Nigeria “have been advised to restrict travel to the Abuja metropolitan area.”
The FCDO further warned that public protests in Abuja “can turn violent,” urging nationals to avoid demonstrations and large gatherings while following security directives from local authorities.
The report highlighted persistent insecurity in the North-East, where military operations are ongoing in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states, warning that “those in Maiduguri could find it extremely difficult to leave the city” if the situation worsens.
In the South-South and South-East, British nationals were advised against visiting the riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states due to militant activities and attacks on oil and gas infrastructure.
“There is a high risk of armed robbery, criminality, and kidnapping across the Niger Delta region,” the FCDO noted.
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The advisory also raised concerns about secessionist groups active in the South-East, warning that clashes between such groups and security forces frequently lead to violence.
“Although foreign nationals are not normally targeted, there is a risk you could be caught in an attack,” it said.
In the South-West, including Lagos, the UK cited growing incidents of mugging, car-jacking, armed robbery, and kidnapping, especially at night. While noting that large-scale terrorist attacks are rare, it recalled that Islamic State West Africa claimed two attacks in 2022, though none targeted foreign nationals.
The FCDO concluded by urging British citizens in Nigeria to stay alert, follow safety advice from hotels or employers, and ensure personal security measures are updated.
Nigeria has grappled with widespread insecurity for over a decade, ranging from Boko Haram’s insurgency in the North-East and banditry in the North-West to separatist violence in the South-East and militancy in the Niger Delta.