The Australian government has issued a strong travel advisory, urging citizens to reconsider visiting Nigeria due to the country’s unstable security conditions.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) highlighted concerns about terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime, and the potential for civil unrest.
The advisory reads, “Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to the volatile security situation, including the threat of terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime, and the risk of civil unrest.”
The statement also mentioned the high likelihood of terrorist attacks by various militant groups across Nigeria, which could be indiscriminate or target foreign interests. Potential targets include places such as hotels, bars, restaurants, political meetings, government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, transport hubs, law enforcement facilities, international organizations, and camps for displaced persons.
The DFAT further advised against travel to several Nigerian states, including Adamawa, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Cross Rivers, Delta, Federal Capital Territory (excluding Abuja), Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.
The cautionary advice follows alarming data from Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics, which reported over 2.2 million abductions from May 2023 to April 2024. During this period, ransom payments reached an estimated N2.2 trillion, with the North-West region being the highest contributor to ransom payments, totaling N1.2 trillion.