… warning necessary due to threats of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping.
The government of Canada has released a damning report on the security situation in Nigeria and advised its citizens visiting or living in Nigeria to avoid travelling to eleven states in the Northwestern and Northeastern regions of the country.
The travel advisory dated June 28, 2022 and posted on the official country website, stated among other things, that the warning became necessary due to the threat of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping in states such Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa and Kaduna. Others include Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Yobe states.
“Bandit groups are increasingly active in the northwest, including in Kaduna state. Violent attacks involving gunfire and explosives, as well as kidnappings, are frequent. They have targeted motorists, transportation hubs and networks as well as local communities “A state of emergency has been in effect since 2013 in the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe to account for the increase in incidents of terrorism in the area. Additional security personnel have been deployed to these states. Curfews are also in effect in cities across these states and in Maiduguri. Other curfews could be imposed in other cities in northern Nigeria or could change on short notice. “Local authorities could also interrupt telecommunication services in the northeastern states without notice and for indeterminate periods of time.
Neighbouring states could also be affected by these service disruptions,” the report said. The travel advisory also captured the security situation in other parts of Nigeria, stated that Plateau and Taraba states were both affected by sporadic episodes of inter-communal and sectarian violence. “Since early 2022, there has been an increase in violent incidents, including bomb attacks which resulted in a large number of casualties. There has also been an increase in kidnapping cases in Plateau State. Further attacks and kidnappings are likely,” the report said.