Canada issues high-risk travel advisory for Nigeria amid rising insecurity

Canada issues high-risk travel advisory for Nigeria amid rising insecurity

The Government of Canada has placed Nigeria in the high-risk category for travellers, urging its citizens to avoid all non-essential trips due to a rapidly deteriorating security climate.

In a travel advisory released Wednesday, Canadian authorities highlighted a surge in violent incidents across several regions of Nigeria, including terror attacks, bandit raids, armed kidnappings, communal violence, and organised crime. The advisory reflects a significant escalation in threats, particularly in the North, Northeast, Middle Belt, and Niger Delta.

Northern and central states flagged as high-danger zones include Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Niger, Plateau, Kogi, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Taraba, and Yobe. The Niger Delta states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers were also highlighted for volatile insecurity, including armed attacks and kidnappings. Port Harcourt received a milder caution, advising travellers to avoid non-essential trips.

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The advisory made exceptions for Lagos and Calabar, noting that visits to these cities are permitted but with a high degree of caution. Canadian officials stressed that even relatively safer areas carry significant security risks.

Authorities further warned that extremist networks in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin continue to affect border areas and contribute to insecurity across Nigeria. Citizens already in Nigeria were urged to remain vigilant, restrict unnecessary movement, and follow updates from local authorities.

The Canadian government highlighted that Nigeria’s security situation is evolving rapidly, with conditions capable of changing with little warning, advising citizens to maintain emergency plans and ensure readiness for swift evacuation if necessary.

Canada issues high-risk travel advisory for Nigeria amid rising insecurity