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Nigeria
Travel
Warning
On
June 15, 2010, the U.S. Department of State released the following Travel
Warning:
The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the
risks of travel to Nigeria and continues to recommend U.S. citizens to
avoid all but essential travel to the Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom,
Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers; the Southeastern states of Abia, Edo, and
Imo; and the city of Jos in Plateau State, because of the risks of
kidnapping, robbery, and other armed attacks in these areas. Violent
crime committed by individuals and gangs, as well as by persons wearing
police and military uniforms, is a problem throughout the country. This
replaces the Travel Warning for Nigeria dated May 24, 2010, to update
information on violent activity and crime in Nigeria.
Since January 2009, over 111 foreign nationals have been
kidnapped in Nigeria, including 18 in 2010. Six foreign nationals were
killed in connection with these abductions; two U.S. citizens were
killed in separate abduction attempts in Port Harcourt in April 2010.
Local authorities and expatriate businesses operating in Nigeria believe
that the number of kidnapping incidents throughout Nigeria is
underreported. Since March 2010, five improvised explosive devices (IEDs)
have been detonated in the Niger Delta region with no reported
casualties.
A loose alliance of militant groups in the Niger Delta
region has conducted a number of attacks against oil installations and
posts of the Nigerian military’s Joint Task Force (JTF), which had
attempted to close the militant camps. In June 2009, the Federal
Government of Nigeria offered unconditional amnesty to any militant
willing to surrender his/her arms and accept the government’s amnesty
program. While almost all major militant leaders accepted the offer and
the amnesty remains in effect, the potential for violence and the risk
of kidnapping remains high. Violent incidents involving “ex-militants”
continue.
Travel by foreigners to areas considered by the Nigerian
government to be conflict areas without prior consultation and
coordination with local security authorities is not recommended, as the
Nigerian government may see this activity as inappropriate and
potentially illegal and it may detain violators. Nigerian authorities
detained six U.S. citizens, including journalists, on six occasions, in
areas where militant groups had operated in 2008. The Nigerian
government interrogated these U.S. citizens for lengthy periods of time
without bringing any formal charges before ultimately deporting them.
Journalists are required to obtain a special accreditation from the
Ministry of Information prior to traveling to conflict areas in the
Niger Delta region states. This special accreditation is in addition to
the general press accreditation and a valid Nigerian visa which are
required to conduct such activities elsewhere in Nigeria.
Many foreign oil companies operating in the Niger Delta
states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers have implemented
“essential travel only” policies for their personnel. The U.S. Mission
currently requires advance permission for U.S. government travel to
these states, as well as the states of Abia, Edo, and Imo, and the city
of Jos in Plateau State, given the safety and security risk assessments
and the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General's limited ability to provide
assistance to people detained by Nigerian authorities in these states.
U.S. citizens who are resident in these states are advised to review
their personal security in light of the information contained in this
Travel Warning.
Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society in
which different ethnic and religious groups often coexist in the same
geographic area. Travelers throughout the country should be aware that,
in areas where such circumstances prevail, there is the potential for
ethnic or religious-based disturbances. The States of Bauchi, Borno, and
Plateau have experienced violence by fringe sects or inter-ethnic groups
in the past year.
Violent crime committed by individuals and gangs, as well
as by some persons wearing police and military uniforms, is an ongoing
problem throughout the country, especially at night. Visitors and
resident U.S. citizens have experienced armed muggings, assaults,
burglary, carjacking, rape, kidnappings, and extortion - often involving
violence. Home invasions remain a serious threat, with armed robbers
accessing even guarded compounds by scaling perimeter walls; following,
or tailgating, residents or visitors arriving by car into the compound;
subduing guards and gaining entry into homes or apartments. Armed
robbers in Lagos also access waterfront compounds by boat. U.S.
citizens, as well as Nigerians and other expatriates, have been victims
of armed robbery at banks and grocery stores and on airport roads during
both daylight and evening hours. Law enforcement authorities usually
respond slowly or not at all, and provide little or no investigative
support to victims. U.S. citizens, Nigerians and other expatriates have
experienced harassment and shakedowns at checkpoints and during
encounters with Nigerian law enforcement officials. Traveling outside of
major cities after dark is not recommended due to both crime and road
safety concerns.
U.S. citizens who travel to or
reside in Nigeria are strongly advised to register through the
State
Department's travel registration website.
U.S. citizens without internet access may register directly with the
nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, U.S. citizens make it
easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of
emergency.
U.S. citizens should contact the
U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos for
up-to-date information on any restrictions. The U.S. Embassy in Abuja is
open Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30
p.m. The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos is open Monday-Thursday from
7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The U.S.
Embassy in Abuja can be reached by telephone, including after-hours
emergencies, at [234(9) 461-4000]. The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos
can be reached by telephone, including after-hours emergencies at
[234(1) 460-3600] or [234 (1) 460-3400]. You may also visit the
U.S. Mission's web site.
This Travel Warning was issued on October
30, 2007 to warn U.S. citizens of the possible dangers of travel to Nigeria,
and to note the continued unstable security situation in the Niger Delta
region. American citizens should defer all but essential travel to Delta,
Bayelsa, and Rivers states because of the very high risk of kidnapping,
robbery, and other armed attacks in these areas. American citizens who are
resident in the Delta are strongly advised to review their personal security
in light of the information contained in this Travel Warning when deciding
whether to remain. The ability of the U.S. Government to provide consular
services to Americans in these areas may be limited. This Travel Warning
supersedes the Travel Warning for Nigeria issued January 19, 2007.
The Department of State continues to warn
U.S. citizens of the possible dangers of travel to Nigeria. Periodically,
travel by U.S. mission personnel is restricted based on changing security
conditions, often due to crime, general strikes, or student/political
demonstrations or disturbances. The lack of law and order in Nigeria poses
considerable risks to travelers. Violent crime committed by ordinary
criminals, as well as by persons in police and military uniforms, can occur
throughout the country and tends to peak between November and January,
during the holiday period.
For
Information on How
to Protect Yourself, Your Family, Your
Employees, and Your Trips Abroad,
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After several weeks of armed clashes
between heavily-armed rival militias, the security situation in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, has stabilized slightly, due to the presence of a
large military Joint Task Force (JTF). Despite the JTF presence, however,
one expatriate was killed during a kidnapping attempt and at least one other
was taken hostage. The restoration of order remains fragile and the
potential for violent outbreaks still exists. In 2007, over 150 foreigners
in the Niger Delta region have been kidnapped from off-shore and land-based
oil facilities, residential compounds, and public roadways mainly in Delta,
Bayelsa, and Rivers states. While most hostages have been released
unharmed, two expatriates have died since November 2006 while in captivity
and many were held for weeks in hostile conditions. In response to the high
number of kidnappings and two car bombs at oil company compounds in Port
Harcourt, most oil industry personnel in the Niger Delta removed their
dependents from the area and implemented “essential travel only” policies.
U.S. citizens and other foreigners have been threatened during labor
disputes. Criminal groups have kidnapped and held for ransom expatriate
workers, including American citizens, and family members.
For
Information on How
to Protect Yourself, Your Family, Your
Employees, and Your Trips Abroad,
Contact our specialists today. info@worldwidemedicalplans.com 877-211-3654 or
559-294-0316
Crime in Lagos and Abuja is an ongoing problem. Some expatriates have been
robbed in the outlying Lagos suburb of Lekki, and in Abuja, the Maitama area
has seen a series of home invasions. In a working class section of mainland
Lagos, an October 2005 clash between police and residents left several dead.
Even Victoria and Ikoyi Islands, which are generally safer than other parts
of Lagos, have experienced attempted bank robberies, and have seen an
increase in smash-and-grab car robberies, including some involving
expatriates.
Federal and State elections are
scheduled for April 2007. Previous elections in Nigeria have sometimes
resulted in civil disturbances and unrest leading up to and during the
election. U.S. citizens in Nigeria should exercise particular caution during
this period. Large public gatherings, political rallies, and demonstrations
should be avoided. The U.S. government's ability to assist American citizens
caught up in instances of civil disturbance or unrest may be limited.
Religious tension between some Muslim and Christian communities results in
occasional acts of isolated communal violence that could erupt quickly and
without warning. The states of Kano and Kaduna are particularly volatile.
Rival ethnic groups have clashed violently in the Niger Delta region around
Warri city and in Southeast Plateau State. Senior al-Qaida leadership has
expressed interest publicly in overthrowing the government of Nigeria. Links
also were uncovered connecting Nigerians to al-Qaida in 2004.
Road travel is dangerous. Robberies by armed gangs have been reported on
rural roads and within major cities. Travelers should avoid driving at
night. Because of poor vehicle maintenance and driving conditions, public
transportation throughout Nigeria can be dangerous and should be avoided.
Taxis pose risks because of the possibility of fraudulent or criminal
operators, old and unsafe vehicles, and poorly maintained roads. Road travel
in Lagos is banned between 7:00 and 10:00 AM on the last Saturday of every
month for municipal road cleanup; police vigilantly enforce the ban.
For
Information on How
to Protect Yourself, Your Family, Your
Employees, and Your Trips Abroad,
Contact our specialists today. info@worldwidemedicalplans.com 877-211-3654 or
559-294-0316
Enforcement of aviation safety
standards in Nigeria is uneven; civil aviation in Nigeria continues to
experience air incidents and accidents, including four crashes with
fatalities between October 22, 2005, and October 30, 2006. Incidents
included fires on planes, collapsed landing gear, and planes veering off the
runway. After each such occurence, aviation authorities may temporarily shut
down the domestic airline involved, ground a number of planes, and close the
affected airport. Flights in Nigeria, including international routes, are
often delayed or cancelled. Travelers should be prepared for disruptions to
air travel to, from, and within Nigeria.
In general, international airlines have paid close attention to conditions
at airports in Nigeria and have taken appropriate action. As such,
international carriers operating direct flights to Nigeria have experienced
far fewer incidents. However, domestic carriers operating within Nigeria and
the region are less responsive to local conditions and may present a greater
safety risk to travelers. Where possible, international travelers to and
from Nigeria should avoid transiting an additional Nigerian city.
Travel by any means within Nigeria is risky. For essential travel, official
Americans in Nigeria balance the risk between domestic air and road travel
by using direct flights on Virgin Nigeria Airlines or AERO Contractors to
cities serviced by these carriers. Currently, however, neither Virgin
Nigeria nor AERO appears in most travel agency software. Additional
information on current flight schedules is available at
http://www.VirginNigeria.com and
http://www.acn.aero/cgi-bin/airkiosk.
For
Information on How
to Protect Yourself, Your Family, Your
Employees, and Your Trips Abroad,
Contact our specialists today. info@worldwidemedicalplans.com 877-211-3654 or
559-294-0316
Some Nigeria-based criminals
conduct advance fee fraud and other scams that target foreigners worldwide.
These fraudulent activities pose great risk of financial loss. Recipients
traveling to Nigeria to pursue such fraudulent offers have been subject to
physical harm, and local police authorities are often unwilling to help in
such cases. No one should provide personal financial or account information
to unknown parties. Under no circumstances should U.S. citizens travel to
Nigeria without a valid visa -- an invitation to enter Nigeria without a
visa is normally indicative of illegal activity. Furthermore, the ability of
U.S. Embassy officers to extricate U.S. citizens from unlawful business
deals and their consequences is limited.
U.S. citizens who travel to or reside in Nigeria are strongly advised to
register through the State Department' travel registration website,
https://travelregistration.state.gov. Americans
without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy
or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the
Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
For
Information on How
to Protect Yourself, Your Family, Your
Employees, and Your Trips Abroad,
Contact our specialists today. info@worldwidemedicalplans.com 877-211-3654 or
559-294-0316
Periodically, travel by U.S.
mission personnel is restricted based on changing security conditions, often
due to crime, general strikes, or student/political demonstrations or
disturbances. U.S. citizens should contact the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the
U.S. Consulate General in Lagos for up-to-date information on any
restrictions. The U.S. Embassy in Abuja can be contacted by phone at
[234](9) 461-4000. American citizens may contact the U.S. Consulate General
in Lagos at 011 [234](1) 261-1215 during business hours. For after-hours
emergencies call [234] (1) 261-1414, 261-0195, 261-0078, 261-0139, or
261-6477. You may also visit the U.S. Embassy' website at
http://nigeria.usembassy.gov.
For
Information on How
to Protect Yourself, Your Family, Your
Employees, and Your Trips Abroad,
Contact our specialists today. info@worldwidemedicalplans.com 877-211-3654 or
559-294-0316
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INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL NEWS BRIEFS: Please
note that we at Sunburst Worldwide Insurance Services provides the
International Travel News Briefs as a value-added service to our
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News Briefs are updated frequently, in order to provide you with current and
reliable news and events as quickly as we can. We have no control over the
content of external websites, and links to various external news sources may
become inactive at any time. We suggest that you bookmark our website and
return frequently to check the current global news posted on our website.
July 22, 2010 MEXICO
CITY – Mexico is facing a sort of perfect storm of floods that breed
mosquitoes, prompting a big increase in the number of hemorrhagic dengue
cases, the country's top epidemiological official said Wednesday.
July 1, 2010
The Mexican government announced on Tuesday the
end of the health alert for the AH1N1 flu virus after 14 months in which
1,289 people died in this country and 72,000 cases were registered.
. .
Thailand's PM declares emergencyApril
7, 2010
Thailand's prime minister declares a state of
emergency in Bangkok amid growing anti-government protests.In a televised address, Mr Abhisit said the move - which gives
sweeping new powers to the security forces to tackle protesters - would help
restore order. It comes hours after thousands of "red-shirt" protesters
marched on parliament - forcing MPs to flee the building.
January 5, 2010
BEIJING: The Chinese capital was in the grip of
its coldest weather in 20 years Tuesday after snow storms caused chaos,
while South Korea sent out an army of civil servants and soldiers to clear
clogged roads. China's national weather centre said the mercury dipped
Tuesday to minus 15.6 degrees Celsius (four Fahrenheit) - the lowest in more
than two decades, after Beijing was hit by its heaviest snowfall in 60 years
at the weekend.
UK Did Not Pass Plane Bomber Intel To the U.S.
January5, 2010
Gordon Brown's spokesman says there is "no suggestion" the UK passed
intelligence to the US that they did not act on, regarding the alleged
Detroit plane bomber.
It follows
reports that the White House accused the Prime Minister's
spokesman of making a "mistake" when he appeared, on Monday, to confirm the
UK told the US that
Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab had links to extremists over a year
ago.
October 22, 2009
Thailand has mounted one of its biggest
security operations in recent history with more than 36,000 military and
police to prevent anti-government demonstrators from overrunning a
summit of Asian leaders, an official spokesman said Thursday.
June3, 2009 East Asia / Pacific - Australia
Australia raised the H1N1 flu alert level in the worst
hit state of Victoria on Wednesday and warned more areas would follow as
the national total topped 500.
March
3, 2009 Americas - Mexico
More than 800 federal and local police have
been assigned to improve security in and around Mexico City's
international airport after a series of armed robberies against
travelers who exchanged money there, authorities announced Monday.
4 Indonesians die of bird flu; toll climbs to 119
March
3, 2009 East Asia / Pacific -
Indonesia Four Indonesians have died of
bird flu, bringing the death toll in the country hardest hit by the
disease over the past several years to 119, an official said Tuesday.
February 26, 2009
PHOENIX - The U.S. State Department and
universities around the country are warning college students headed for
Mexico for some spring-break partying of a surge in drug-related murder and
mayhem south of the border.
February
13, 2009
A Colgan Air-operated Continental Connection flight from Newark, N.J., to
Buffalo, N.Y., went down about six miles from its destination airport
Wednesday night, killing all 49 aboard and at least one person on the
ground. An FAA spokeswoman said there was no distress call before the
Bombardier Q400 dropped off the radar. Colgan Air is a subsidiary of
Pinnacle Airlines. Continental Airlines Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner said,
"Continental extends its deepest sympathy to the family members and loved
ones of those involved in this accident."
Bloomberg (2/13)
February
6, 2009
The H5N1 strain of bird flu has been reported in more localities across
Vietnam, raising fears of a possible epidemic, official and media
reports said Friday.
Is China Covering up a New Bird Flu Epidemic?February
3, 2009
Certainly there seems to be very strong
evidence it is. There have already been eight reported cases of humans
contracting the potential deadly H5N1 virus, from which
five people have
died this year. And despite the fact that Hong Kong officials have been
finding dead birds infected with the virus washing up onto its shores in
recent days from the mainland, China has not made any official statement
concerning an outbreak among birds.
February 2, 2009 Thailandnews.net -- seeking political
asylum claiming they face persecution at home, because they fought alongside
U.S. forces during the Vietnam War. "Today we will send 190 Hmong
back to. . .
Japan rocked by major earthquake
July 16, 2007 An earthquake has struck central Japan, killing at least seven
people, flattening buildings and triggering a fire at a nuclear power plant.
Hundreds of people were injured when the 6.8-magnitude tremor struck the
Niigata area.
Feb.
26, 2007 Tokyo, Japan:In a move aimed at further
thwarting terrorist attacks, passengers on all international flights will be
prohibited from bringing aboard liquids in containers larger than 100
milliliters starting Thursday
South / Central Asia - Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan Earthquake PreparednessFeb.
13, 2007 Bishkek,Kyrgyzstan:
The
U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan would like to remind American Citizens that
Kyrgyzstan is located in a seismically-active zone.
Registration Rules Stir Up Confusion
Feb. 5, 2007 Moscow, Russia:
According to a new
law that came into effect Jan. 15, foreigners are now required to hand over
their registration papers to migration officials -- via their employer or
other sponsor -- every time they leave the country and re-register upon
subsequent entry into the country.
Large swathes of greater Jakarta ground to a halt yesterday
after the heaviest rain in at least five years left many areas of the
Indonesian capital several metres underwater.
BA
running normal flight schedule
Europe - United Kingdom British Airways is running flights as
normal from Heathrow and Gatwick after averting a strike by cabin crew.
Thai airport hit by runway cracks1/29/07 Bangkok -
Thailand's transport ministry is to recommend some domestic flights be
transferred from Bangkok's new airport to the decommissioned old one.
Islamabad Marriott
Hotel Attack Pakistan -
It was reported that on January 26, 2007, at
approximately 2:37 p.m. local time, a bomb exploded at the back area
of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Nestle dairy plant in Colombia destroyed
Americas - Colombia
A pickup truck carrying 660 pounds of
explosives destroyed a dairy plant owned by
Swiss food giant Nestle SA in southern Colombia,
an attack police attributed Thursday to leftist
rebels
East Asia / Pacific -
Philippines
Philippine troops closed in Thursday on another
veteran of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group, a day
after announcing the death of a senior leader
wanted in the beheading of a California tourist.
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