The United States (US) has ordered family members of its employees in Abuja to leave, amid heightened threats of terrorist attacks in the city.
The order was contained in a travel advisory issued on Thursday.
The latest advisory is an update to an alert published on Tuesday, which had asked only non-emergency employees and their family members to leave Abuja.
The advisory read, “On October 27, 2022, the Department ordered the departure of family members of U.S. government employees from Abuja due to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks there.
“On October 25, 2022, the Department authorized the departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees and family members from Abuja due to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks there.
“U.S. Embassy Abuja is only able to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens in Abuja.
“U.S. Consulate in Lagos is providing all routine and emergency services to U.S. citizens in Nigeria. U.S. citizens in Nigeria who require assistance should contact LagosACS@state.gov or +234 1 460 3410.”
The US also warned its citizens against travelling to Abuja “due to terrorism”, while Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and “northern Adamawa states” are off limits “due to terrorism and kidnapping”.
Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara states were listed as no-go areas “due to kidnapping”, while coastal areas of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers states (with the exception of Port Harcourt) were also listed as areas to be avoided “due to crime, kidnapping, and maritime crime”.
The development comes amid warnings also from the UK and Canada asking their citizens in Nigeria to be cautious over the possibility of terror attacks in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has insisted that the country is safe.
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