Adelani Adepegba, Abuja
The United States has cautioned its
citizens to avoid all travel to 20 states for security reasons, stating
that the security there remains fluid and unpredictable.
The Department of State, specifically
warned Americans against travel to Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states,
noting that it’s ability to provide assistance to US citizens in the
three states remains severely limited.
The Department of State in a travel
warning on its website on Wednesday, strongly urged US citizens in
Nigeria to consider their own personal security and to keep personal
safety in the forefront of their travel planning.
The Department recommended against all
but essential travel to 17 other states due to the risk of kidnappings,
robberies, and other armed attacks.
The states are, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta,
Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger,
Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
“Based on safety and security risk
assessments, the Embassy maintains restrictions for travel by US
officials to the states listed above; officials must receive advance
clearance by the US Mission for any travel to those states,” it stated.
The Force Public Relations Officer,
Donald Awunah, could not be reached on Thursday for reaction to the
security alert. He had yet to respond to an SMS as of the time of filing
this report.
The Department further advised all US
citizens to be particularly vigilant around government security
facilities; churches, mosques, and other places of worship; locations
where large crowds may gather, such as hotels, clubs, bars, restaurants,
markets, shopping malls; and other areas frequented by expatriates and
foreign travelers.
It explained that security measures in
the country is heightened due to threats posed by extremist groups, and
“U.S. citizens may encounter police and military checkpoints, additional
security, and possible road blocks throughout the country.”
The mission pointed out that the Boko
Haram group, designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the
Department of State, had claimed responsibility for many attacks in the
country.
It also informed Americans that local government curfews are intermittently in effect in several states in the North.
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