Olushola Omogbehin
Following the unabated violent crime such as kidnappings and other insecurity situation in Nigeria, the United Kingdom has advised its citizens to avoid travel to Borno State, Yobe and some other parts of Nigeria.
In the latest Foreign Travel Advise released on Sunday, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said insecurity such as kidnapping, violent crime and intercommunal violence occur throughout all regions of Nigeria.
Specifically, the FCDO advises against traveling to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, Zamfara States due to the threat posed by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, particularly in public gatherings.
Other states include Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Plateau and Taraba states, except for essential purposes.
In the South-East and South-South regions, the FCDO warns against all travel to “the riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.”
“Militant groups are active across the Niger Delta region and have carried out many attacks on oil and gas infrastructure.”
It warns again that humanitarian convoys and foreign personnel are at high risk of abduction or assault, particularly in remote and oil-producing areas where militant groups have resumed attacks on energy infrastructure.
In all, six states are under full “no travel” warnings, while eighteen others face “no travel” or “essential travel only” advisories, depending on the zone which makes the total number of affected states to 24, covering most of northern Nigeria, the entire Niger Delta, and the South East.
In the South East, FCDO cautioned against “secessionist groups active in the south-east,” because “attacks and violent clashes often occur with the military and other security forces.”
The advisory stated that although foreign nationals are not normally targeted in the South East but the risk is being caught in the attack.
In the South-West, UK Government described violent crimes such as kidnapping, car-jacking and armed robbery to be common in the larger cities.
