|
Excerpts from State Department travel warning on Nigeria
The lack of law and order in Nigeria poses considerable risks to travelers. Violent crime committed by ordinary criminals, as well as by persons in police and military uniforms, can occur throughout the country. In recent months, Lagos has witnessed a spike in crime. Some expatriates have been robbed in the outlying Lagos suburb of Lekki. In a working class section of mainland Lagos, an October 2005 clash between police and residents left several dead. Even Victoria and Ikoyi Islands, which are generally safer than other parts of Lagos, have experienced attempted bank robberies, and have seen an increase in smash-and-grab car robberies, including some involving expatriates.Kidnapping for ransom of persons associated with the petroleum sector, including U.S. citizens, remains common in the Niger Delta area. The Delta region remains calm but tense following the arrest in London of a prominent governor on charges of money laundering, as well as the arrest of a local militant leader for treason. Religious tension between some Muslim and Christian communities results in occasional acts of isolated communal violence that could erupt quickly and without warning. The states of Kano and Kaduna are particularly volatile. Rival ethnic groups have clashed violently in the Niger Delta region around Warri city and in Southeast Plateau State. Senior al-Qaida leadership has expressed interest publicly in overthrowing the government of Nigeria. Links also were uncovered connecting Nigerians to al-Qaida in 2004. Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-12-03 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=136475 |