The United States Department of State has placed 23 countries under its highest travel advisory, Level 4: Do Not Travel, warning American citizens to avoid visiting the listed destinations because of security risks and limited consular assistance.
In an updated advisory published on Thursday through the department’s TravelGov X account, the US said the highest alert is reserved for countries where conditions are considered dangerous or where the US government’s ability to assist its citizens is severely limited.
“We issue Travel Advisories with Levels 1–4. Level 4 means DO NOT TRAVEL. We assign Level 4 based on local conditions and/or our limited ability to help Americans there,” the department said.
“These places are dangerous. Do not go for ANY reason.”
Countries Under Level 4 Advisory
The countries currently listed under the Level 4 advisory are:
- Afghanistan
- Belarus
- Burkina Faso
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Haiti
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mali
- Niger
- North Korea
- Russia
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Yemen
Of the 23 countries, 11 are in Africa: Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
Nigeria Remains at Level 3
The latest update comes months after the State Department retained Nigeria under Level 3: Reconsider Travel, while placing several states under the stricter Level 4: Do Not Travel category because of security concerns.
The Level 4 advisory covers Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and northern Adamawa in northern Nigeria.
In the South, the advisory applies to Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo and Rivers State, excluding Port Harcourt.
According to the State Department, Americans are advised to reconsider travel to Nigeria because of crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest and inconsistent healthcare services, while travel to the designated Level 4 states is strongly discouraged.
Reacting to the advisory, the Nigerian government described the designation as a routine precaution based on US internal assessment procedures.
Minister of Information Mohammed Idris said Nigeria continues to face isolated security challenges but stressed that there has been no breakdown of law and order, maintaining that the country remains stable.
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