Gun Violence Crisis: FG Roasts U.S. Travel Warning With Explosive Stats

The Federal Government of Nigeria has responded to the latest travel advisory issued by the United States, which warned American citizens against traveling to Nigeria due to insecurity concerns.

In the advisory published on the U.S. Mission in Nigeria’s website, Americans were warned to avoid certain Nigerian states due to threats of terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime. States like Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and parts of the South-East and South-South were listed as high-risk areas.

Reacting to the advisory on Tuesday at the annual retreat of the Nigeria Reputation Management Group in Abuja, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, through his Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy, Alkazeem Abdulkadir, criticized the U.S. for what he called an unfair and one-sided portrayal of Nigeria.

Tuggar emphasized that no country, including the U.S., is immune to violence and insecurity.

“There’s a saying that if the lion doesn’t learn to write, the story will always glorify the hunter,” he said. “In 2024, over 47,000 people died from gun violence in the U.S., and it’s projected that 45,000 will die in 2025. Yet, they issue advisories as if America is a haven of peace.”

He revealed that Nigeria had previously issued travel advisories of its own in response to similar warnings from countries like the UK and Australia.

Tuggar stressed the need for Nigeria to control its own narrative in the global space, urging media professionals and communicators to take charge of shaping the country’s image with clarity, integrity, and patriotism.

“In today’s world of manipulated narratives, your expertise is vital—not just in reputation management, but in defining the story of our nation,” he concluded.