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Travel Alert: U.S. Warns Citizens About Risks In 18 Nigerian States

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Travel Alert: U.S. Warns Citizens About Risks In 18 Nigerian States....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The United States government has released an updated travel advisory for Nigeria, urging its citizens to exercise caution when considering travel to specific Nigerian states. The advisory cites an “increased risk of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed gangs” throughout the country.

In the revised travel advisory, issued on September 20 by the U.S. Department of State and published on Thursday on its official website, the Department has identified 18 Nigerian states with a flat “do not travel” warning.

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States under this “do not travel” warning include Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and Adamawa, primarily due to concerns related to terrorism and kidnapping. Additionally, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara States have been designated as high-risk areas for kidnapping.

Other states on the advisory list include Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers States, primarily due to elevated risks of crime, kidnapping, and armed gang activities.

These states have been categorized as Level 4 areas, signifying the highest risk zones, and the advisory warns that the security situation in these states is “fluid and unpredictable” due to ongoing terrorist activities, inter-communal violence, and kidnapping incidents. The advisory highlights a range of violent crimes, including armed robbery, assault, carjacking, kidnapping, hostage-taking, roadside banditry, and rape, which are prevalent across the country.

The advisory further emphasizes the frequency of kidnappings for ransom, with dual national citizens and U.S. citizens perceived as wealthy being common targets. Terrorist groups continue to plan and execute attacks across Nigeria, with a focus on crowded areas like shopping centers, malls, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars, schools, government installations, transportation hubs, and other places where people gather. These groups often collaborate with local gangs to extend their reach.

In addition to these concerns, the advisory notes civil unrest and the presence of armed gangs in parts of Southern Nigeria, particularly in the Niger Delta and Southeast regions. Armed criminality, including kidnapping and assaults on Nigerian security forces, is prevalent in these areas. Tensions can escalate between farming and herding communities in rural regions.

The previous travel advisory issued by the U.S. Department on Nigeria was in August. The State Department’s earlier advisory, issued in January, had categorized Nigeria as a “Level 3 – Reconsider Travel” destination, citing the routine targeting of humanitarian camps, security forces, religious institutions, educational institutions, entertainment venues, and road travelers by terrorist groups based in the Northeast.

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Crime

Plantain Peel Plot Exposed! Nigerian-British Grandma Busted With 13kg Of Cocaine At Lagos Airport!.

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  • Airport Arrest: A 67-year-old Nigerian-British caregiver, Mary Yetunde Barek, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on June 28, 2026, while attempting to board a flight to London. Authorities discovered 13 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside her luggage, which had been creatively packaged to resemble plantains. The suspect has admitted to owning the illicit materials.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

    • From Caregiver to Criminal: 67-Year-Old Grandmother Caught in Daring 13kg Cocaine Smuggling Attempt!

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    • Hidden in Plain Sight! NDLEA Uncovers 13kg of Cocaine Stashed in Fake Plantain Peels in Grandma’s Luggage!

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    • Grandma’s “Fruit” Gamble Fails! NDLEA Foils Massive 13kg Cocaine Trafficking Bid at MMIA!

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    • London-Bound Nightmare! Nigerian-British Grandma Arrested Over 13kg Cocaine Discovery at Lagos Airport!

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Crime

Murdered For Rent: Heartless Suspects Slaughter Ogun Broadcaster To Secure New Apartment!.

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A former security guard, 22-year-old Sodeinde Olajuwon Phillips, has confessed to his involvement in the murder of Olakitan Ibiyola Oyesiku, a retired Ogun State broadcaster widely known as Aunty Kitan. The 67-year-old Oyesiku, who had retired from Ogun State Television, was killed along with her current security guard, Pelumi Adetayo, at her residence in Agodo village, Kobape, Abeokuta.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The investigation into the deaths was spearheaded by the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, who revealed that a crucial handwritten note found at the scene played a pivotal role in leading detectives to the suspects.

“We met her lying, facing upward to the sky, and we saw a paper, a note on her chest, and we equally found the same paper differently spread on the table in the living room,” Ojajuni stated. He further explained, “We discovered that the one that was met on her chest, the handwriting was totally different from the others that were spread.

The use of intelligence gathering and technical tracking enabled the police to recover the deceased’s Lexus RX 330 and subsequently arrest three suspects. They were identified as Olajuwon (the former employee), 27-year-old Sakirudeen Abdulraheem Ayoola, and 36-year-old Sobu Obafunsho.

A Tragic Motive: Money for Rent and Perceived Unfair Pay Upon questioning, Olajuwon provided a detailed and disturbing account of why the attack was orchestrated. He explained that a primary motive was the need for money to secure new housing for himself and Ayoola.

“My name is Sodeinde Olajuwon Phillips, and I am 22 years old. Myself, Shakirudeen and Sobu participated in the robbery and killing,” he confessed. He further elaborated, “We did it because she did not pay us well when we worked for her.

Describing the robbery, Olajuwon recounted: “Shakirudeen and I needed more money to rent an apartment. So, we wore masks, forced the security guard to ring the bell, and after gaining entry, the security guard was taken back to his post.

Following the attack, the group stole Oyesiku’s vehicle. Olajuwon detailed their escape, saying, “We left with her vehicle. Shakirudeen drove the car while we left together. We collected it from her before she died and drove to Onikolobo. I alighted under the bridge and went straight home, while Shakirudeen drove away with the vehicle.

The stolen Lexus RX 330 was later recovered by the police in proximity to Olajuwon’s residence. The investigators found that the vehicle’s license plates had been removed and concealed under one of the seats.

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Crime

Billions Recovered: EFCC Unearths Massive ₦38.66 Billion Haul In Explosive Refinery Fraud Probe.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered over ₦38.66 billion in cash and assets as part of an active investigation into the alleged diversion of funds earmarked for the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries. The total recovery comprises ₦9.4 billion, $21.2 million (roughly ₦29.26 billion at the official exchange rate of ₦1,380 to the dollar), and various landed properties linked to the individuals under investigation.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

  • The probe focuses on approximately $2.79 billion released between 2021 and 2023 for maintenance work on refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.

  • Allegations include money laundering, procurement fraud, economic sabotage, criminal conspiracy, and abuse of office.

  • The Federal Government had committed significant funds to these projects—$1.56 billion for Port Harcourt, $740.7 million for Kaduna, and $492.3 million for Warri—yet investigators found minimal evidence of actual operational improvements.

  • Officials from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), its subsidiary, refinery managing directors, and major contractors like Daewoo Engineering Nigeria Limited and Tecnimont SPA are currently under scrutiny.

Enforcement Actions and Key Individuals

  • The EFCC has interrogated over 30 senior NNPCL officials and more than 50 representatives from contracting and subcontracting firms.

  • Last year, the commission arrested several high-ranking officials, including Umar Isa, Tunde Bakare, Ahmed Adamu Dikko, and Ibrahim Onoja.

  • Former Port Harcourt Refinery Managing Director Ahmed Dikko is accused of bypassing contractual procedures; authorities have traced ₦983.9 million, $227,030, and three landed properties to him, all of which are subject to an interim forfeiture order.

  • Senior official Jimoh Yisawu is accused of approving inflated invoices and payments to unqualified third-party contractors, resulting in losses exceeding $10 million and nearly ₦8 billion.

  • Investigations traced over ₦1.4 billion and four landed properties to Yisawu, which have also been placed under interim forfeiture while prosecutors prepare formal charges.

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