Abuja - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Oh, yeah, this post is a mess. Constant threat of terrorism and crime. Gunshots in the neighborhood lead to the kids at the American International School taking cover every so often. Keep a go bag handy, keep your pets' rabies info up to date, and be ready to be evacuated at any time. To be fair, that only happened once in the past two years, but it sure happened suddenly and it could happen again. - Jun 2024
We are required to stay within the 6-mile-zone around the embassy (which is pretty much the ring road around the city) for our own safety. Any trips outside that zone should be discussed with RSO. Walking around outside the compounds (where possible) is not recommended, as there is a lot of crime here. Drive wherever you need to go, and park on guarded parking lots whenever possible. Stay alert and don't get too comfortable. When you visit malls or restaurants, make sure you know how to get out quickly. Don't go alone, if you can avoid it and keep your mobile phone charged and Post 1 on speed dial. Do the weekly radio checks, so you know how to handle the radio in case of emergency. Teach your children, too. - Sep 2019
RSO askes most people to stay within the ring road around Abuja. At night if you have to go to the airport, we take hired security officers if the Embassy can't provide them. It's the presidential elections here now and the voting has come with mortar shells and a death count. This is not a 1st or 2nd world country in my opinion, no matter what they would like you to believe. The people are poor, desperate and used to a system that is not run efficiently. People used to think Mexico was unsafe. Give me that any day. Be smart, and don't park in an out of the way place. Don't stay out after dark without a group. Lock your doors when you get in the car and keep them that way, especially at intersections. I've seen old Africa hands, (women) who think these are all ridiculous assertions. So you'll have to read the travel advisory and make up your own minds. To me, this is far far more uncomfortable of a place than any other we've served in. Lagos is a different story, I understand. As a port it's more happening and has more shopping, dining etc. Abuja is not Lagos, in my opinion. Though Lagos is famous for it's robberies and muggings, so again... use caution. - Feb 2019
I'm not sure why they took the danger pay away from this post. We can only drive in a 5 mile radius, many security restrictions. No outside travel outside of the 5 miles. - Apr 2018
This a high-threat post, that, unfortunately, just lost danger pay. U.S. direct hires cannot travel outside the ring road without several layers of approval and an RSO escort. Though the city generally feels safe, the threat from terrorism is real. - Apr 2017
Travel outside of the ring road is not permitted. During holiday seasons, such as Christmas and Ramadan, be more aware of petty crimes and more aggressive pursuit from persons in uniform asking for some form of payment. Some expats have been stopped and shaken down by police, perhaps expecting a payment. Of course this is not the norm, but there are at least five expats I can point to who have experienced this kind of treatment. - Jun 2016
Abuja is a designated high-threat post, with travel essentially restricted to within the Ring Road (which circles the city, of course). Even with the occasional Boko Haram explosion in or near the city, we never really felt unsafe. - Aug 2015
Very much so! FACT training is required for both employee and EFM prior to arrival. There is a heavy military and police presence. Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. Boko Haram is a major security issue in the northeast of the country. There are killings done by the herdsman over grazing/farming issues, religion, crimes, etc. Most of it is not directed at Americans, but there have been kidnappings of business men (usually European), oil industry people, missionary folks. There are and always will be crimes of opportunity; pick-pocket, strong arm, smash and grab, etc. There was a police chase yesterday near the Embassy, police firing shots at armed robbers. We rarely go out at night (driving is bad enough in the daylight), we go to known and approved locations, travel in groups, don't flash cameras, money or jewelry. Because this concern, we are very limited on where we can go or where we wish to go. Nigeria (Security threat level - 5): On 24 June 2015, armed assailants in speedboats attacked a construction site in the Ogbia local area of Bayelsa state in southern Nigeria, killing two police officers and kidnapping two Lebanese nationals. Bayelsa state police officials stated that a large-scale manhunt was launched to rescue the workers. Three expatriate workers were kidnapped from the same area in November 2014. Kidnappings are common in the Niger Delta region, and foreign workers are frequently targeted, as the perpetrators believe that such hostages can bring larger ransoms. - Jun 2015
This is a danger post so we can only travel outside the city with escorts. Boko Haram is active so the security is always a big issue. - Nov 2014
See above - this is a high threat post. All USG housing are located in a compound with 24/7 security, panic rooms, alarm systems, local Police outside the gates, rapid response forces, roving patrols. Anyone who can afford it, lives in a secure compound or area. This ought to be a clue - if the Chief of Police has a SWAT team sitting outside his gate 24/7, with armored vehicles - that ought to tell you something. Anyone of importance, either ego-driven or status, travels in convey with armed security. - Aug 2014
Yes. See regular travel warnings from embassies. - May 2014
Yes. And no. The terrorism thing is scary - it just kind of lurks there at the back of your mind all the time. You find yourself thinking "I hope if I get kidnapped they want a ransom and not a YouTube video of my death." In my one year so far, we've had a small explosion outside one of the few pub-style bars, a similar explosion outside a popular grocery store, and a major prison break. There was also the bombing of the UN headquarters in 2011 and bombings at two newspapers' office buildings in early 2012. Some diplomats might be put under curfew , and police checkpoints will increase, but other than that it doesn't impact your daily life. It's mostly just an ever-present fear that you feel somewhat irrational about having. Crime incidents like the following are a much more serious issue in terms of how you live your life here: home invasions, emphatic bribe demands at checkpoints (especially bad if you don't have diplomatic plates), taxi scams (someone pops out of the trunk through the back seats and holds you up at gunpoint), and muggings. Muggings are usually violent; the two I know about involved a stabbing and clubbing with a metal pipe. See notes on transportation below, as well. - May 2013
Significant. The situation was deteriorating when I departed post. More robberies, carjackings, etc. seemed to be taking place. US Government staff must take an armored vehicle with police escort to the airport. - Jun 2009
I walk for an hour every morning and don't feel unsafe. Driving is the biggest safety issue, as the drivers here are crazy. The roads within Abuja are generally good, although it gets dangerous when the power goes out and the traffic lights don't work. - Mar 2009
Abuja is much safer than cities like Lagos and Port Harcourt. I still wouldn't recommend walking around at night, but I've never felt unsafe. - Sep 2008
Nigeria can have terrible crime, but Abuja is a lot better. You can't be careless, and you should be careful at night, but you'll likely be OK. Travel outside of the Ring Road that surrounds the city should be done judiciously. - Aug 2008
Moderate. Most crimes are still of an opportunistic nature and while I've heard about theft and car jackings, I haven't seen the American community specifically targeted. As another poster noted, the driving here is the real day-to-day security concern and it's getting increasingly worse with every passing month as more Nigerians move into Abuja. - Jul 2008
