Travel warning expanded for Nigeria, embassy staff allowed to leave
An aircraft at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. Photographer: Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The United States has expanded a travel warning for Nigeria. The embassy in Abuja, the African nation’s capital, is also allowing non-emergency government employees and their families to leave.
What we know:
No information was given about the closure, nor is it known how long it would last, according to a report from Reuters.
Advisories are reviewed several times a year and the nation remains at Level 3, "Reconsider Travel" restriction with the expansion of staff departures. Additionally, Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger and Taraba were added to the locations Americans were warned not to visit.
What they're saying:
"While we acknowledge isolated security challenges in some areas, there is no general breakdown of law and order, and the vast majority of the country remains stable," said Nigeria’s information ministry in a statement.
Dig deeper:
The U.S. has kept Nigeria at a Level 3 or Level 4 for several years over the past decade.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by Reuters. This story was reported from Orlando.