NIGERIA 26 to 28 March; Elections to be held amid heightened security

General elections are scheduled to be held across Nigeria on 28 March.

Security will be heightened across the country in the period leading up to, during and following the voting process. As of 00:01 (local time) on 26 March, all land and sea points of entry to and exit from Nigeria will be closed. Airports will, however, not be affected by these restrictions.

Voting is expected to occur amid heightened threats of terrorism, politically motivated unrest and communal violence. Although no area of Nigeria is considered immune to election-related insecurity, the threat is highest in the country's politically polarised Middle Belt regions, the southern Niger Delta region and the restive north eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

Triggers for such violence are likely to be linked to the perceived transparency, inclusivity and fairness of the ballot; an election deemed to not be free and fair may yield political outcomes which could be rejected, perhaps violently so, by the losing parties. Furthermore, election-related events could also be targeted in acts of terrorism by the Boko Haram Islamist extremist sect, which possesses an operational presence across central and northern Nigeria.

It should be noted that any potential violence is likely to impact on local interests through attacks on rival supporters and political infrastructure, such as polling stations, or looting linked to civil unrest.

RPS warns that foreign nationals and/or business interests could be subject to substantial logistical and operational disruptions.

Due to various security concerns, RPS advises against all non-essential travel to Nigeria over the election period and travel to a number of administrative states should also be avoided.

Travellers in the country over the election period should defer travel near all election-related interests and ensure that itineraries are flexible to accommodate for possible travel disruptions. Contact us on [email protected] for more travel advice.