The escalating insecurity across the country particularly in parts of the North has forced the United Kingdom (UK) government to advise its citizens against travelling to troubled areas for their own safety.
In the North-East, the UK government warned its citizens to avoid travels to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe states, and within 20km of the border with Niger.
It also urged them to avoid Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Niger, Jigawa, Katsina Kogi, Abia and Rivers.
Other states to avoid, according to the travel advisory, were: Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and the Cross River State.
The Kingdom issued the travel advisory, stating that multiple locations in Nigeria are not safe, due to the current spate of insecurity.
The travel advisory to its nationals residing in Nigeria was publicized on the official website of the UK Foreign Office, stating that “the Foreign & Commonwealth Office currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel.”
Furthermore, it advised Britons against travelling especially to these areas except for essential reasons, warning that the current insecurity in Nigeria had necessitated the temporal withdrawal of a small number of UK staff and dependents at the British High Commission in Abuja and the British Deputy High Commission in Lagos.
“Both locations will continue to carry out essential work, including providing 24/7 consular assistance and support to British people in Nigeria,” the statement reads.
There are serious concerns over reports that Boko Haram has infiltrated the Southern part of the country following a video footage by the terror group showing the sect observing Salah celebration in Niger State.
The footage showed about three fighters sending Eid greetings in Hausa, English and Fulfulde to viewers.
“It is we the Jamahatu Ali Sunna li Dawatul Jihad in the location of Niger State. We want to send our Sallah salutation, first of all to our imam, Abu Muhammad Ibn Abubakar Shekau,” one of the terrorists dressed in a Nigerian police uniform said.
Bulama Bukarti, an analyst at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change in London, while reacting to the video on Twitter warned the Nigerian Government not to treat the sect with levity.
He said, “This video, if genuine, is further evidence that BH has expanded to the north-central.
“The dense forest there is a perfect haven for terrorists and if the group is able to consolidate its presence in Niger, it can easily target Abuja as well as to other states like Kwara and Kogi.