The United Kingdom High Commission in
Nigeria has warned its citizens against travelling to 16 states in the
country for security reasons.
The mission advised its citizens against
travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano city, riverine
areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River and within
20km of the border with Niger in Zamfara State.
This followed the travel alert by the United States last week warning its citizens against visiting 20 states in the country.
The Foreign Commonwealth Office, in a
travel advice on its website, which was current till August 12, 2016,
cautioned against all but essential travel to Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa,
Katsina, Kogi and within 20km of the border with Niger in Sokoto and
Kebbi states.
Other places include Jos, Riyom and
Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, non-riverine areas
of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Abia states.
The travel advice read, “There is a
continuing high threat from terrorists. Most attacks occur in the
North-East, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe states.
“There have also been significant
attacks in Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Bauchi, Abuja and Gombe. Further attacks
could occur anywhere. Major towns and cities remain particularly at
risk, including Bauchi, Kano and Kaduna, and Abuja.”
The mission counselled Britons in
Nigeria to avoid public places where crowds gather, including religious
gatherings and insecure public spaces like markets and transport hubs.
“A heavy security presence often
indicates areas of particularly high risk; avoid affected areas in the
immediate aftermath of any attack,” it urged.
The mission, said it regularly reviews its security measures.
Do recall that recently, the Federal Government debunked recent negative reports
by the U.S government about the safety of citizens in at least 20 of the
36 states of the federation.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said in Abuja when
he received a delegation from the Association of Tourism Practitioners
of Nigeria that contrary to recent statements by the U.S. government,
every state in the country was safe.
“We are in Nigeria. How can we believe the claim that 20 states in
Nigeria are not safe.That is not correct. There is no state in Nigeria
that is not safe today,” the minister said.
“Is there any week they are not killing people in the U.S., by either
shooting in schools or driveways or people committing suicide or mass
bombing? How many of these stories do their media celebrate? If they
want to tell their people not to come to Nigeria, it is not for us to
help them propagate it,’’ he said.
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