UK FCO cautions citizens traveling to Nigeria against security issues
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the United Kingdom has issued a warning advisory to its citizens against travelling to about 21 states in Nigeria over security concerns.
Most of the warnings updated on Monday, 17 June 2019, stems from the worsening insecurity occasioned by the terrorist activities of Boko Haram and Islamic State in West African Province, ISWAP, in the North East, armed banditry in the North West and militancy in the South.
Global Sentinel had, in May 2019, reported that the British government could ban travel to parts of Syria and West Africa, including Nigeria in a bid to combat the problem of foreign fighters who join extremist organizations such as the Islamic State.
The announcement was made by the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, asking counter-terrorism officials to look into whether it would be appropriate to use the authority vested under a recently enacted law “in relation to Syria, with a particular focus on Idlib and the northeast”.
The affected states include Borno State, Yobe State, Adamawa State and Gombe State.
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Others are Riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States and within 20km of the border with Niger and Zamfara State
The FCO also advised against all but essential travel Bauchi State, Zamfara State, Kano State, Kaduna State, Jigawa State, Katsina State, Kogi State, within 20km of the border with Niger in Sokoto and Kebbi States, Non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers State and Abia State
It noted that terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Nigeria. Most attacks occur in the north east, particularly in Borno (including central Maiduguri and along access routes connecting the city to other major towns and along the Niger border, including in Damasak), Yobe,( including the eastern LGAs bordering Borno State both north and south of the Damaturu road), and Adamawa States.
It also explained that there have also been significant attacks in Gombe, Kano, Kaduna, Jos and Bauchi States and in the Federal capital, Abuja. The terrorist threat across eastern Yobe and Borno State is high, with frequent recent attacks.
“Terrorist groups carried out attacks in North East Nigeria during the February 2019 election period, and further attacks are likely. We continue to advise against all travel to Borno and Yobe States.
“On 23 February 2019, ISWA launched an attack involving indirect fire that resulted in explosions in multiple locations within Maiduguri,” it said.
