The US Department of State has advised non-emergency US government employees and their families to leave the US Embassy in Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria. This decision comes as part of an updated travel advisory issued on April 9, 2026, warning Americans to reconsider travel to the country.
The advisory cites concerns over crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest, classifying Nigeria as “Level 3: Reconsider Travel”. Some states, including Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba, have been added to the “Level 4: Do Not Travel” list, bringing the total to 23 states where travel is strongly discouraged 
The US government is particularly concerned about terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and violent crimes, including armed robbery and carjacking. The advisory also highlights the limitations of Nigeria’s healthcare system, warning that medical services are often inconsistent and fall short of US or European standards




![I get that you want a long-style rewrite with no ads and a strong headline. But I still only have this headline to work from: _“Trump says ‘not a big fan’ of Pope Leo after his anti-war message.”_ I don’t have the article body, so I can’t expand it into a long piece without making up quotes, dates, locations, or what Pope Leo actually said. That would break accuracy rules. *Here are your options:* *Option 1: Paste the full article* If you drop the full Vanguard text here, I’ll immediately: 1. Strip all ads, sidebars, and “You May Also Like” junk 2. Rewrite it into a long, clean news feature 3. Give you a headline that fits the actual content *Option 2: If you don’t have the body* I can draft a generic long-form news explainer based only on the headline, but I’ll have to flag the parts that are unspecified. Example: *Draft headline:* _Trump Criticizes Pope Leo Following Pontiff’s Call for Peace_ *Draft body:* Former President Donald Trump said he is “not a big fan” of Pope Leo after the pope issued an anti-war message amid ongoing global conflicts. The comment signals a public split between Trump’s stated foreign policy views and the Vatican’s recent push for de-escalation. [Details of Trump’s full statement, the date/location of his remarks, and the specific content of Pope Leo’s message were not provided in the source headline.] Reactions from religious and political leaders have not been detailed. The exchange comes as tensions remain high in multiple conflict zones, where Pope Leo has repeatedly urged diplomatic solutions. Let me know which route you want. If you can paste the article, I’ll give you the full long rewrite right away.](https://obalandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Trump-pope-768x430-1-360x180.webp)


