The United States has urged its citizens to reconsider traveling to Nigeria, citing risks such as terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.
A travel advisory issued Wednesday by the U.S. State Department added that certain Nigerian states with higher risk levels have been placed under the most severe warning, advising people not to travel there at all.
Washington has also authorized the departure of its “non-emergency” staff along with their families from the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, due to what it describes as a “deterioration of the security situation” across the country.
The advisory comes amid a renewed surge in attacks in some parts of the country, despite growing security cooperation between the two nations.
According to the U.S. State Department, Washington has been working with Abuja on counterterrorism, maritime security, intelligence sharing, and military training.
Recent cooperation has included surveillance and aerial reconnaissance support, as well as the use of aircraft and helicopters provided by the U.S. and operated by Nigerian forces against Islamist militants and armed groups.
The decision to reduce embassy staff highlights the gap between strategic military cooperation and the everyday security challenges faced by civilians in many parts of the country.
In the advisory, U.S. citizens were warned that attacks could occur without warning in public places, including markets, hotels, places of worship, schools, and transportation hubs.
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