The United States Department of State has placed 23 countries under its highest travel advisory, Level 4, urging American citizens not to travel to the listed destinations for any reason due to security risks and limited consular assistance.
In an updated advisory published on its TravelGov platform, the department said Level 4 advisories are issued when local conditions are considered dangerous or when the US government's ability to assist its citizens is significantly limited.
Among the 23 countries are 11 African nations: Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
Other countries on the list include Afghanistan, Belarus, Myanmar, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.
The advisory comes months after the State Department maintained Nigeria at Level 3: Reconsider Travel, while designating several Nigerian states as Level 4: Do Not Travel because of security concerns.
The affected states include Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and northern Adamawa in the North, as well as Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt) in the South.
According to the US, Americans should reconsider travel to Nigeria due to concerns over crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest and inconsistent healthcare services.
Reacting to the advisory, the Nigerian government described the decision as a routine precaution based on the US government's internal assessment, insisting that while isolated security challenges remain, Nigeria is stable and there has been no breakdown of law and order.
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