Foreign Affairs issues sharp Nigeria travel advisory

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has heightened the warnings in its travel advisory for Nigeria; Dutch nationals in the African country are advised to be cautious and avoid large gatherings. Foreign Affairs said today that it new attacks on western targets are not unlikely. A bomb exploded in Nyanya on May 1, killing one person and injuring several others. There are also reports of threats aimed at Sheraton Hotels in the country. The Ministry advises Dutch nationals who are in Nigeria to avoid “large gatherings, demonstrations, public events and busy locations, and to follow local news reports and stay informed about the real-time local developments before heading out. It advises against traveling to the states Borno, Yobe and Adamawa where Muslim group Boko Haram is active, as well as to Gombe, Bauchi and the city of Kano. The advisory comes on the heels of the kidnappings Sunday of Dutch nationals Erhard Leffers, Marianne Vos, Jandries Groenendijk and Nigerian activist Sunny Ofehe who lives in the Netherlands.