- The U.S. Embassy in Abuja has suspended visa services and reduced operations as the U.S. government authorizes the departure of non-essential staff over security threats.
- According to the notice, the decision was based on intelligence pointing to possible risks, including terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest in parts of the country.
The United States Embassy in Abuja has suspended all visa appointment services and moved to limited emergency operations following heightened security concerns in Nigeria.
In an updated advisory, the United States Department of State authorized the voluntary departure of non-emergency government personnel and their families from Abuja, citing potential threats.
According to the notice, the decision was based on intelligence pointing to possible risks, including terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest in parts of the country.
“The United States Embassy in Abuja halted all visa appointments and transitioned to limited emergency services only,” the advisory stated.
While operations in Abuja have been scaled down, the U.S. Consulate in Lagos is said to be continuing normal services.
The updated travel advisory also placed 23 Nigerian states under a high-risk “Do Not Travel” category, including Borno, Yobe, and Kaduna states, due to ongoing security challenges.
The move was taken “due to imminent risk of terrorist attacks, kidnapping, and civil unrest,” the statement added.
The development has raised concerns among Nigerians, particularly those with pending visa appointments, as well as broader questions about the country’s security situation.
Leave a Reply