Only 16 out of Nigeria’s 36 states are safe, according to the latest travel advisory by the United States Government to its citizens living in Nigeria.

Among the 20 states which it has advised them to stay away from are Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. The advisory declared them absolutely no-go areas as “the ability of the US Mission to provide assistance to US citizens” in those states remains severely limited.

The travel warning published on Wednesday on the website of the U.S. Department of State, replaced an earlier one of last February, reported Afrique News yesterday.

In addition to the three frontline states, the State Department also “recommends against all but essential travel to the following states due to the risk of kidnappings, robberies, and other armed attacks: Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

“The Department of State also warns against travel in the Gulf of Guinea, because of the threat of piracy,” the advisory published online added.

It said based on safety and security risk assessments, the embassy maintains restrictions for travel by US officials to the states listed above.

Officials must also apply for advance clearance by the US mission for any travel to those states.

The statement also urged vigilance around government security facilities; churches, mosques, other places of worship; locations where large crowds may gather such as hotels, clubs, bars, restaurants, markets, shopping malls; and other areas frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

It added: “Security measures in Nigeria remain heightened due to threats posed by extremist groups, and U.S. citizens may encounter police and military checkpoints, additional security, and possible road blocks throughout the country.

“Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have been displaced as a result of violence in the north.”

The U.S. State Department noted that kidnappings remained a security concern throughout Nigeria, as criminal elements across the country orchestrated kidnappings for ransom; Islamic extremists, operating predominantly in the North, also have been known to conduct kidnappings.

It said: “Separatist groups have staged demonstrations in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, and Rivers States, some of which have turned violent.

“Militant groups have destroyed oil production infrastructure in Bayelsa and Delta states.

“U.S. citizens are advised to avoid the areas of these states where these incidents have occurred.

“Attacks by pirates off the coast of Nigeria in the Gulf of Guinea have increased substantially in recent years.

“Armed gangs have boarded both commercial and private vessels to rob travellers.

“The Nigerian Navy has limited capacity to respond to criminal acts at sea.”

•Additional reports from THISDAY and News Agency.

Update news