Security Alert: U.S. Orders Partial Evacuation of Nigeria Embassy, Flags 23 States as High-Risk

The United States government has directed some of its staff to leave its embassy in Abuja, citing heightened security concerns, while issuing a sweeping travel advisory covering 23 states across Nigeria.

In the advisory, the U.S. warned its citizens against travelling to several parts of the country, listing them as high-risk zones due to persistent security threats.

According to the notice, “U.S. government employees working in Nigeria are prohibited from non-official travel to certain high-risk areas,” underscoring the severity of the situation.

The directive also confirmed that “family members of U.S. government employees have been ordered to depart,” signaling a partial evacuation of diplomatic personnel.

The affected states, the advisory noted, were flagged over concerns including terrorism, kidnapping, armed gangs, and civil unrest.

While the embassy remains operational, the U.S. stressed that its ability to provide routine and emergency services in the listed areas would be “extremely limited.”

The development comes amid ongoing security challenges in parts of Nigeria, with authorities battling insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, and sporadic communal violence in other regions.

The U.S. government urged its citizens to “reconsider travel to Nigeria” and exercise increased caution, particularly in areas identified as volatile.

Nigerian authorities have yet to issue an official response to the latest advisory, though security agencies have repeatedly maintained that efforts are ongoing to address the country’s security concerns.