The United Kingdom Government has issued a fresh travel advisory warning its citizens against visiting several parts of Nigeria due to worsening insecurity and violent crime across the country.
In the updated advisory released by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the UK listed Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, and Zamfara States as areas its nationals should avoid all travel to, citing heightened threats of terrorism, kidnapping, and armed attacks.
According to the statement, the North-East region remains volatile with a sustained presence of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, particularly around transport hubs, markets, and places of worship.
The advisory warned that insurgents continue to target civilians and government forces in both rural and urban areas.
The FCDO also cautioned 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, Nigeria’s capital city.
It noted that British officials in Abuja have been directed to restrict movement amid rising reports of violent crime spreading from the city’s outskirts into central districts.
The advisory further highlighted growing security challenges in other regions of the country. It pointed to separatist violence in the South-East, frequent militant attacks and oil theft in the Niger Delta, and increasing incidents of kidnapping, mugging, and carjacking in Lagos and other South-West states, particularly at night.
“The threat of terrorism and criminal violence remains high across Nigeria. Travellers should avoid large gatherings, follow local media updates, and maintain a high level of personal security awareness,” the UK government warned.
The update underscores the widening security challenges confronting Africa’s most populous nation, where insurgency, banditry, separatist unrest, and militancy continue to threaten national stability despite ongoing military operations.
