By Oluwatosin Maliki
A travel advisory has been issued by the UK Government, warning her citizens to exercise caution against travelling to certain states in Nigeria, which includes; Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states, in view of the off-cycle elections scheduled to take place in the three states on November 11th.
This comes after the USA issued a similar warning to its citizens over threat of attacks on hotels in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Quest Times gathered that the travel advisory was issued on November 4th, 2023.
Asides from the three states mentioned in the travel advisory, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO, equally advised against all travels to Northern States in Nigeria, which are; Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, and the riverine areas of Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.
It was learnt that this precautionary move by the United Kingdom is all in an effort to secure the safety of its citizens admist the heightened concerns about the possibility of violence during the upcoming gubernatorial elections.
Although, in past elections, there have been several reports of intimidation, violence, and voter fraud. Hence, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has expressed its commitment towards conducting a free and fair election, though, security analysts say that the risk of violence remains high.
Also, in a bid to ensure the smooth process of the election and prevent violence, the Nigerian government has deployed additional security forces to the three states.
Additionally, the government has urged political parties to maintain law and order during the electoral process, as well as refrain from making inflammatory statements.
“They should also avoid large gatherings and crowded public places. Travelers should also register with their nearest embassy or consulate so that they can be contacted in case of an emergency,’’ the advisory added.