As cases of banditry and heightened insecurity in the country continue to generate global concerns, the United Kingdom has warned its citizens against travelling to 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states.
This was disclosed in the travel advisory recently published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
While frowning at the rising figures of abductees and victims from shooting incidents, the advisory admonished its citizens to beware of the kidnap threat throughout Nigeria for ideological, financial or political gain.
The citizens were asked to stay away from Borno, Yobe, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Zamfara, and Adamawa states.
The travel advisory also directed every UK card-carring citizen against all but essential travel to Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa , Niger, Sokoto, Kogi within 20km of the border with Niger in Kebbi and Abia States respectively.
The advisory partly read: [b]“Foreign nationals, including humanitarian workers, are likely targets for kidnap. Humanitarian hubs and humanitarian workers have been targeted during attacks in the North East, including Monguno, Borno State on 13 June 2020.
“The security environment in the North East has deteriorated since 2018 and there is a heightened risk of kidnapping of humanitarian and private sector workers.
“There are also reports that Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) have an active plan to kidnap foreigners. As well as in North-East Nigeria, extremist groups operate in some northern and middle belt states including Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Kogi, Kaduna, Niger and Adamawa states.
“If you are working or travelling in these States then you should be aware of the risk of terrorist kidnapping.”
“The UK government, highlighting the level of insecurity in the country, also warned against attacks and killings in South-East regions.
“There have also been a number of attacks and targeted killings in the South-east and South-South regions of Nigeria, including in the states of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Abia, Anambra, Delta, Edo and Ebonyi. Some of these attacks have been on isolated roads and in remote locations, but there is a chance that they could occur in metropolitan areas,” the advisory read.[/b]
“The government advised those travelling to those regions to be careful and follow local news and information outlets for further information, including on local curfews.
