UK Issues Heightened Travel Warning for Nigeria Amid Rising Insecurity and Kidnappings

|By Adejumo Adekunle

The United Kingdom has tightened its travel advisory for Nigeria, warning its citizens of worsening security threats, including terrorism, kidnappings, and violent crime spreading across several regions.

In an updated notice published on GOV.UK, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) cited an alarming surge in insecurity nationwide, with kidnappings, armed attacks, and intercommunal clashes reported in multiple states.

The advisory strongly discourages all travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, and Zamfara States, describing them as high-risk zones due to the escalating threat from Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). It also warns that transport hubs, religious centres, and crowded public spaces remain primary targets for terrorist attacks.

According to the FCDO, humanitarian workers, vehicles, and critical infrastructure could also face threats from armed groups.

The UK government further advised that trips to Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Plateau, and Taraba States, as well as the outer suburbs of Abuja, should be restricted to essential travel only.

It noted that violent crime involving firearms has spread from the outskirts into affluent parts of the capital, urging British nationals to exercise extreme caution, stay alert, and review their personal safety plans.

The advisory also cautioned travelers about potential unrest in Abuja, where protests can sometimes turn violent. It recommended monitoring local news, avoiding demonstrations and large gatherings, and following security directives.

In line with the new risk assessment, British government staff in Nigeria have been instructed to limit movements within the broader Abuja area for safety reasons.