The Federal Government has strongly criticized a recent travel advisory issued by the United States warning its citizens against traveling to Nigeria due to security concerns.
According to Gist9ja, the advisory, published on the US Mission’s website, cited threats of terrorism, kidnapping, crime, and inadequate healthcare. It advised against travel to states like Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and northern Adamawa, as well as parts of the South-East and South-South regions, due to safety risks.
However, during the Nigeria Reputation Management Group’s annual retreat in Abuja on Tuesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar condemned the advisory, calling it unjustified and unfair. Tuggar, represented by his media aide, Alkazeem Abdulkadir, argued that no country, including the United States, enjoys perfect security.
“There’s a saying: if the lion doesn’t learn to write, the story will always glorify the hunter,” Abdulkadir said. “In 2024 alone, about 47,000 people died from gun violence in the US, and projections show that around 45,000 more may die in 2025. Yet, we seldom issue advisories against America.”
He noted that the ministry had previously responded to similar advisories from Australia and the UK by issuing counter-warnings, stressing the need for Nigeria to stop what he termed “self-flagellation.”
Abdulkadir emphasized the importance of controlling Nigeria’s image on the global stage, stating, “In today’s manipulated information landscape, your role is not just to manage reputation but to shape the national narrative with clarity, truth, and patriotism.”
