The United States embassy in Abuja says it is closed for visa appointments. Announcing the closure on Thursday, the US embassy asked applicants to check their email for details on rescheduled appointments.
The announcement comes a day after the US State Department, in an updated travel advisory, authorised non-emergency government employees and government employee family members to leave its embassy in Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria.
In the travel advisory, Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba states were added to the ‘Do not travel’ list “due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping”.
On Tuesday, gunmen reportedly killed at least 20 people in several communities in Niger state and scores in Kebbi. Earlier, Nigeria played down the urgency of the travel advisory, saying the US decision was only a “routine precaution guided by internal protocols” which does not reflect the country’s situation.
Mohammed Idris, minister of information, urged international partners to engage in “balanced and up-to-date reporting that reflects the progress being made” in the security sector.