By Shola Abayomi.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the United Kingdom has warned British nationals against travelling to 21 states in Nigeria.
In an updated statement issued on its website, the states listed by the FCO include: Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States within 20 kilometres of the border with Niger in Zamfara State.
The statement stated: “The FCO advises against all but essential travel to: Bauchi State, Zamfara State, Kano State, Kaduna State, Jigawa State, Katsina State, Kogi State, within 20 kilometres of the border with Niger in Sokoto and Kebbi States, non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers State and Abia State.”
It added that, “Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Nigeria. Most attacks occur in the north east, 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.
“There have also been significant attacks in Gombe, Kano, Kaduna, Jos and Bauchi States and in the Federal capital, Abuja. The terrorist threat across eastern Yobe and Borno State is high, with frequent recent attacks. Terrorist groups carried out attacks in North East Nigeria during the February 2019 election period, and further attacks are likely. We continue to advise against all travel to Borno and Yobe States.”