Nigeria: UK warns against travel to six Nigerian states over rising insecurity
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a fresh travel advisory on November 10, 2025, urging British nationals to avoid several parts of Nigeria because of escalating insecurity. In its latest Foreign Travel Advice published on (link unavailable), the FCDO said kidnapping, violent crime and inter‑communal violence are occurring throughout the country.
The advisory singles out six states – Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina and Zamfara – as areas where “all travel should be avoided” due to a high and increasing threat from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa (ISWA), especially around transport hubs, religious sites and large gatherings. The FCDO warned that humanitarian personnel, vehicles, supplies and infrastructure could be targeted.
All but essential travel is also discouraged to Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Plateau and Taraba, as well as the outer suburbs of Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory. The UK government noted that violent crime involving firearms has risen and is spreading from the city’s outskirts into wealthier central areas. British staff in Nigeria have been told to limit movements to the Abuja metropolitan area.
The advisory highlights several regional concerns:
– *North‑East:* Ongoing military operations in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe mean the region remains a risk for retaliatory attacks. In Maiduguri, any further security deterioration could make it extremely difficult to leave the city.
– *South‑East and South‑South:* Travel to riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River is discouraged because militant groups active in the Niger Delta have attacked oil and gas infrastructure, and there is a high risk of armed robbery, criminality and kidnapping. Secessionist groups in the south‑east have also carried out violent clashes with security forces.
– *South‑West (including Lagos):* Mugging, kidnapping, car‑jacking and armed robbery are common, especially in larger cities. While large‑scale terrorist attacks are rare, the Islamic State West Africa claimed two attacks in 2022, and travellers are advised to be cautious on the mainland and avoid night‑time movement.
The FCDO urged anyone currently in high‑risk areas to stay alert, follow local security instructions, keep safety procedures up to date and have contingency plans in place.
*Nigeria says terror‑related deaths have fallen 81 % since 2015*
In contrast to the UK warning, the Nigerian Presidency posted on its official X account that the country has recorded an 81 % drop in terror‑related deaths since 2015. The statement attributes the decline to improved counter‑insurgency operations and stronger collaboration between security agencies and affected communities.
According to the Presidency, more than 13,000 terrorists were neutralised in the past year, and over 124,000 fighters and their dependents have surrendered. The government says more than 2.1 million internally displaced persons have returned home, with new communities being rebuilt in previously affected areas.
The federal government has launched a resettlement scheme for persons impacted by conflict, aiming to rebuild communities and reintegrate the displaced. Since 2023, enhanced inter‑agency cooperation has led to the arrest, elimination or conviction of numerous terrorists, including leaders of Ansaru and those responsible for the 2022 Owo church bombing and the Yelwata (Benue) reprisal attacks. Joint security task forces, strengthened border patrols, compensation for victims, permanent joint patrols and intelligence sharing with international partners are among the measures being used to protect lives and safeguard national sovereignty.
