The United States Department of State has placed 23 countries under its highest travel advisory, Level 4: Do Not Travel, warning American citizens against travelling to the listed destinations due to serious security risks and limited U.S. government assistance.
In an updated advisory posted on Thursday through the State Department’s TravelGov X handle and sighted on Saturday, the department said Level 4 is reserved for countries where local conditions are considered extremely dangerous or where its ability to assist U.S. citizens is significantly restricted.
“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,” the department stated, adding, “These places are dangerous. Do not go for ANY reason.”
The countries placed under the Level 4: Do Not Travel 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 and Yemen.
Among them, 11 African countries—Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda—are included on the highest-risk list.
The latest advisory also retained Nigeria at Level 3: Reconsider Travel, while maintaining Level 4: Do Not Travel warnings for several states because of security concerns.
The affected states include Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and northern Adamawa in the North, as well as Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt) in the South-South and South-East.
According to the advisory, Americans are urged 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 U.S. decision as a routine precaution guided by internal protocols, insisting it does not reflect the country’s overall security situation.
