The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a new travel advisory warning its citizens against visiting large parts of Nigeria due to worsening insecurity, terrorism, and violent crime across multiple regions.
In its updated Foreign Travel Advice published on Sunday, the FCDO said insecurity “is increasing across Nigeria,” citing widespread kidnapping, armed attacks, and intercommunal clashes. It urged British nationals to review their safety procedures and prepare contingency plans.
The FCDO advised against all travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, and Zamfara states, highlighting a “high and increasing threat” from Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, particularly near transport hubs, religious sites, and large gatherings. It added that terrorists and criminal groups have targeted humanitarian workers and infrastructure.
The advisory also warned against all but essential travel to Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Plateau, and Taraba states, as well as the outer suburbs of Abuja. The FCDO said violent crime, including armed robbery and kidnapping, has spread from the outskirts of the capital to more central areas.
British officials in Nigeria have been instructed to restrict movements within central Abuja. The FCDO noted that protests in the capital could turn violent and urged citizens to stay alert, avoid demonstrations, and follow security advice.
In the North-East, the UK warned of ongoing military operations in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe, with a continued risk of retaliatory attacks. Those in Maiduguri were cautioned that leaving the city could become “extremely difficult” if security deteriorates.
The UK also advised against travel to the riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states, where militant groups remain active and attacks on oil infrastructure persist. It noted a “high risk of armed robbery, criminality and kidnap” in the region.
In the South-East, the advisory warned of violent clashes between separatist groups and security forces, while in the South-West — including Lagos — crimes such as mugging, car-jacking, and kidnapping were described as “common,” especially at night.
Nigeria continues to face widespread insecurity driven by terrorism, banditry, militancy, and separatist unrest, leaving several states unsafe for residents and foreign nationals alike.
