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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

FULL LIST: US warns citizens against travel to 23 countries

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The U.S. Department of State has issued its highest travel advisory, Level 4, for 23 countries, urging Americans to avoid all travel.
  • The advisory cites dangerous local conditions or limited U.S. government ability to assist citizens.
  • Nigeria has several states designated Level 4, with the government calling the advisory a routine precaution.

The United States Department of State has escalated its travel warnings, placing 23 countries on its highest-risk advisory list, Level 4. This designation strongly urges American citizens to avoid all travel to these destinations for any reason, citing dangerous local conditions or the U.S. government's limited capacity to provide assistance.

Among the countries placed on the Level 4 list are 11 African nations: Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. This update comes after Nigeria was previously placed at Level 3, "Reconsider Travel," with several Nigerian states specifically designated as Level 4 due to security concerns.

In Nigeria, the advisory specifically targets Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and northern Adamawa states in the North. In the South-South and South-East regions, Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states (excluding Port Harcourt) are also included in the Level 4 advisory.

Level 4 means DO NOT TRAVEL. We assign Level 4 based on local conditions and/or our limited ability to help Americans there. These places are dangerous. Do not go for ANY reason.

— United States Department of StateExplanation of the Level 4 travel advisory.

The State Department explained that Level 4 advisories are issued based on local conditions and the government's ability to help Americans in those areas. They emphasized, "These places are dangerous. Do not go for ANY reason."

Nigerian officials have responded to the advisory, with the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, describing the U.S. decision as a "routine precaution guided by internal protocols." He acknowledged isolated security challenges but asserted that there has been no breakdown of law and order, maintaining that the country remains stable. The advisory also cited crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest, and inconsistent healthcare services as reasons for reconsidering travel to Nigeria.

routine precaution guided by internal protocols

— Mohammed IdrisNigerian Minister of Information's reaction to the U.S. travel advisory.
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Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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