The United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has escalated its travel advice for Nigeria, urging British nationals to avoid all travel to six northern states due to a "high and increasing threat" from terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime.
The updated travel advisory, published on GOV.UK, paints an alarming picture of the security landscape across large parts of Nigeria, cautioning that insecurity is rising throughout all regions of the country.
States Flagged for 'All Travel' Avoidance
The FCDO specifically advised against all travel to the following six northern Nigerian states:
Borno
Yobe
Adamawa
Gombe
Katsina
Zamfara
The warning for these states is primarily attributed to the significant and growing threat posed by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP), particularly around transport hubs, religious sites, and large public gatherings.
The advisory also noted that regular military operations are ongoing in the North-East, which carries a risk of retaliatory attacks.
Beyond the six states, the UK government also advised against all but essential travel to an additional list of states, as well as parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
These areas include:
Northern/North-Central States - Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Plateau, and Taraba.
Federal Capital Territory - The outer suburbs of Abuja, citing an increase in violent crime spreading toward wealthier central areas.
Niger Delta: The riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states, due to persistent militant activity, attacks on oil and gas infrastructure, and frequent kidnappings.
FCDO Urges Extreme Caution
The advisory stresses that kidnapping, violent crime, and intercommunal violence are widespread across Nigeria.
British nationals currently in Nigeria have been urged to exercise "extreme caution," review their personal safety measures, and ensure they have "contingency plans" in place for potential emergencies.
The FCDO's own staff are reportedly restricting travel to an area broadly within the Abuja metropolitan area.
The warning also highlighted the risk of being caught up in attacks in the South-East region due to clashes between secessionist groups and security forces, and noted that violent crimes like mugging, carjacking, and armed robbery are common, particularly in the major cities of the South-West, including Lagos.
