Canada has issued a notice to its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Nigeria due to the country’s precarious security situation and the notable risk of terrorism, crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks, and kidnappings.
This was contained in the country’s travel advisory issued to citizens.
The statement read, “Avoid all travel to the following regions due to the risk of terrorism, armed attacks, kidnapping, intercommunal and sectarian violence: the north-western states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara; the north-central state of Plateau; the north-eastern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa and Yobe.
“Others are the Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers (with the exception of Rivers’ capital city, Port Harcourt, where we advise against non-essential travel.”
It urged its citizens in Abuja, Calabar and Lagos to exercise a high degree of caution due to the incidence of crime.
It added, “The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.
“If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.”