UK travel advisory on Nigeria sparks debate across northern states

The advisory warns British nationals against all travel to parts of several Nigerian states and against all but essential travel to a wider group due to concerns including terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime, and intercommunal violence. While opposition parties in Kwara supported the advisory as evidence of worsening insecurity, officials and residents in Kano, Gombe, Jigawa, Yobe, and Kaduna rejected the assessment, asserting their states remain peaceful. Benue stakeholders expressed concern about the advisory's potential impact on foreign humanitarian support for internally displaced persons.

Nasarawa was the only state in the North-Central geopolitical zone excluded, a development its government attributed to sustained peace and security efforts. The Coalition of Northern Groups cautioned against interpreting the advisory as a verdict that the entire North is unsafe, urging governments to address genuine security threats and engage British authorities over broad classifications. Academics and analysts suggest the advisory should be viewed as a risk assessment rather than an indictment, emphasizing the need for differentiated assessments between states and local government areas.

They also highlight that the fundamental issue is insecurity, and reducing attacks and crimes would eventually lea