The United Kingdom government on Tuesday issued an alert to its citizens to avoid visiting some states in Nigeria over possible terror attacks. Around 117,000 British citizens visit Nigeria each year.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the United Kingdom posted a statement on its website listing the names of the states where travel should be currently avoided as terrorists are likely planning to carry out terror attacks in those states. The list includes Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Delta, Yobe, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River States and 20km of the border with Niger in Zamfara State, reported The Guardian.
The statement also warned British citizens against all but essential travel to Bauchi, Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina, Kogi and within 20km of the border with Niger in Sokoto and Kebbi States, non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Abia States.
“Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Nigeria,” the statement read. “Most attacks occur in the northeast, 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 warned that beside Abuja, other states in the north remain risky.
In the statement, the UK government called out its people to avoid places where crowds gather, including political meetings, religious gatherings and places of worship, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, transport hubs and camps for displaced people.
“Attacks could be indiscriminate and could affect western interests as well as places visited by tourists,” the statement added.
It said there is a high threat of kidnap throughout Nigeria which can be motivated by criminality or terrorism and could be carried out for financial or political gain.
