UK issues travel alert to citizens, lists states to avoid in Nigeria

The United Kingdom has warned its citizens against ‘non-essential’ travel to certain states in Nigeria due to the high level of insecurity and crime.

A series of warnings came in a travel advisory on the government’s website on Wednesday.

“The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to: Borno State, Yobe State, Adamawa State, Gombe State, Kaduna State, Katsina State, Zamfara state, riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States,” it said on the website.

The British government also advised against all but essential travel to Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa, Niger, Sokoto, Kogi State, within 20km of the border with Niger in Kebbi State, Abia State, non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States.

The updated security advisory comes after multiple attacks by armed bandits on Monday and Tuesday along the Kaduna-Abuja trail route.

The incident came two days after armed gangs invaded Kaduna International Airport, killing aviation workers and leaving many others wounded. Armed bandits on Saturday afternoon breached security at the airport, attacking people.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has halted its services on the Abuja-Kaduna route after the bandits’ attack and Azman Air has suspended flights to Kaduna over airport attack to re-evaluate its operational procedures in the airport.