The United States Department of State has advised its citizens against travelling to 23 states in Nigeria due to terrorism, crime, unrest and kidnapping.

The latest list of states that U.S. citizens are advised to avoid includes Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba states.
Another reason given by the U.S government includes inconsistent availability of health care services.

For Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and Adamawa states, U.S citizens are to reconsider their travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping

The citizens were also warned to avoid Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.

Other states to avoid are Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states (with the exception of Port Harcourt) due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.

On April 8, 2026, the Department of State authorised non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave the U.S. Embassy Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation.

In a statement, the Department of State listed armed robbery, assault, carjacking, kidnapping, hostage-taking, roadside banditry, and rap as violent crimes common in Nigeria

It said kidnappings for ransom happen often, and they primarily target dual-national citizens visiting Nigeria.

“Americans are perceived as wealthy and are often targets of crime and kidnapping. Kidnapping gangs have stopped drivers on interstate roads in order to rob and kidnap victims. There is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Nigeria.

“Terrorists continue plotting and carrying out attacks in Nigeria. Terrorists collaborate with local gangs to expand their reach. They may attack with little or no warning, including shopping centres and malls, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants and bars, schools, government buildings, transportation hubs, and public places where crowds gather,” the Department of State warned.

U.S citizens are also warned of civil unrest and armed gangs, which are active in the Niger Delta and Southeast regions.