Nigeria: US Embassy issues holiday travel warning Nov. 28

Event

The US Embassy in Abuja issued a travel warning on Tuesday, November 28, alerting travelers to a heightened risk of terrorism in Nigeria during the holiday season. US officials urged American citizens to exercise caution in markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars, and other public venues in Lagos. Additionally, the alert recommended that travelers avoid Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, and Yobe states due to threats from the militant group Boko Haram.

Context

Boko Haram poses one of the greatest terrorist threats to Nigeria. The counterinsurgency effort led by West African states (Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger) against Boko Haram, which began in 2015, has greatly diminished the extent of the groups's effective territorial control. However, the militant group still routinely carries out deadly terrorist attacks, particularly in the northeastern region of the country. In addition to targeting homes in Nigeria's northeastern villages, Boko Haram frequently attacks public venues (markets, places of worship, schools, bars, areas where broadcasts of sports competitions are displayed, etc.) as well as security forces and governmental buildings. The group's modus operandi frequently includes suicide bombings and kidnappings (regularly followed by assassinations and targeting primarily foreign nationals).

Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) in March 2015 and formally adopted the name of Islamic State in West Africa. Al-Barnaoui, son of Mohammed Yusuf - the founder of Boko Haram - was nominated by IS to lead the group in August 2016 to replace Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram since 2009. Since then, the two leaders have been leading dissident factions with divergent ambitions, Al-Barnaoui blaming Shekau for massacring civilians rather than focusing on military targets.

Advice

Generally speaking, the security environment in Nigeria is complex and is particularly concerning in the northeast and extreme south of the country due to the presence of armed groups, high crime rates, and the risk of kidnapping. Some Western governments consequently advise against travel to certain areas of the northeast (e.g. states of Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, and Jigawa as well as parts of Kano and Adamawa states) and the southern Niger Delta region (e.g. states of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers). Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel to these areas.