The United States government has commenced the evacuation of its staff and family members from Nigeria over worsening insecurity across the country.
In an updated travel advisory issued on Wednesday, Washington stated it has ordered non-emergency workers alongside their families in its embassy in Abuja to start pulling out.
The State Department also said that, starting April 8, 2026, Americans are advised to reconsider travel to the country due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest.
“On April 8, 2026, the Department of State authorized non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave U.S. Embassy Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation,” the advisory read.
“Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, and inconsistent availability of health care services. Some areas have increased risk,” the advisory said.
U.S. citizens are urged to avoid include, in the North, Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and northern Adamawa states, due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
“Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, and inconsistent availability of health care services. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory,” the state department warned.
But should U.S. citizens still decide to travel to Nigeria, the government advised against visiting the majority of northern states as well as Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and some parts of Rivers due to high risk of terrorism and kidnapping.
The advisory also listed Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, citing unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
“The security situation in these states is unstable and uncertain due to civil unrest. Widespread violence between communities and armed crime, including kidnapping and roadside banditry.
“Security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning,” the advisory said.
“Crime is widespread in Southern Nigeria. There is a high risk of kidnapping, violent protests, and armed gangs,” the advisory added.
According to the advisory, violent crimes, including armed robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping for ransom, are widespread and U.S. citizens are perceived as wealthy and are frequent targets.
It said terrorist attacks remain a threat across the country, including at markets, shopping centers, hotels, places of worship, and public gatherings.
The advisory described health services in Nigeria as limited and inconsistent, with medical facilities generally not meeting U.S. or European standards.
Under President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria ranked fourth in the global terrorism index released on March 19, 2026, by the Institute for Economics & Peace, a 46 per cent increase in deaths from terrorism in 2025.
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