Note: The following text is a quote:
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http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_928.html
Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
This information is current as of today, Fri Dec 02 2005 02:09:09 GMT-0800.
NIGERIA
December 01, 2005
This Travel Warning for Nigeria is being issued to address increasing crime in Lagos, as well as unrest in the Delta region. The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens of the dangers of travel to the country. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning issued May 20, 2005.
The lack of law and order in Nigeria poses considerable risks to travelers. Violent crime committed by ordinary criminals, as well as by persons in police and military uniforms, can occur throughout the country. In recent months, Lagos has witnessed a spike in crime. Some expatriates have been robbed in the outlying Lagos suburb of Lekki. In a working class section of mainland Lagos, an October 2005 clash between police and residents left several dead. Even Victoria and Ikoyi Islands, which are generally safer than other parts of Lagos, have experienced attempted bank robberies, and have seen an increase in smash-and-grab car robberies, including some involving expatriates.
Kidnapping for ransom of persons associated with the petroleum sector, including U.S. citizens, remains common in the Niger Delta area. The Delta region remains calm but tense following the arrest in London of a prominent governor on charges of money laundering, as well as the arrest of a local militant leader for treason.
Religious tension between some Muslim and Christian communities results in occasional acts of isolated communal violence that could erupt quickly and without warning. The states of Kano and Kaduna are particularly volatile. Rival ethnic groups have clashed violently in the Niger Delta region around Warri city and in Southeast Plateau State. Senior al-Qaida leadership has expressed interest publicly in overthrowing the government of Nigeria. Links also were uncovered connecting Nigerians to al-Qaida in 2004.
Periodically, travel by U.S. mission personnel is restricted based on changing security conditions, often due to crime, general strikes, or student/political demonstrations or disturbances. U.S. citizens should contact the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos for up-to-date information on these restrictions. (See below for contact information.)
Road travel is dangerous. Robberies by armed gangs have been reported on rural roads and within major cities. Travelers should avoid driving at night. Because of poor vehicle maintenance and driving conditions, public transportation throughout Nigeria can be dangerous and should be avoided. Taxis pose risks because of the possibility of fraudulent or criminal operators, old and unsafe vehicles, and poorly maintained roads. Road travel in Lagos is banned between 7:00 and 10:00 AM on the last Saturday of every month for municipal road cleanup; police vigilantly enforce the ban.
Most Nigerian airlines have aging fleets, and maintenance and operational procedures may be inadequate to ensure passenger safety.
Some Nigerian-based criminals conduct advance fee fraud and other scams that target foreigners worldwide. These fraudulent activities pose great risk of financial loss. Recipients traveling to Nigeria to pursue such fraudulent offers have been subject to physical harm, and local police authorities are often unwilling to help in such cases. No one should provide personal financial or account information to unknown parties. Under no circumstances should U.S. citizens travel to Nigeria without a valid visa -- an invitation to enter Nigeria without a visa is normally indicative of illegal activity. Furthermore, the ability of U.S. Embassy officers to extricate U.S. citizens from unlawful business deals and their consequences is limited. Persons contemplating business deals in Nigeria are strongly urged to check with the U.S. Department of Commerce or the U.S. Department of State before providing any information or making any financial commitments. See the Department of State's brochures Tips for Business Travelers to Nigeria, and Nigerian Advanced Fee Fraud.
U.S. citizens who travel to or reside in Nigeria despite this Travel Warning are strongly advised to register through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. embassy in Nigeria can be contacted by phone at [234](9) 523-0916. American citizens may contact the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos at 011 [234](1) 261-1215 during business hours. For after-hours emergencies call [234] (1) 261-1 414, 261-0195, 261-0 078, 261-0139, or 26 1-6477; website: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov.
U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State's most recent Consular Information Sheet for Nigeria, the Department's brochure, Tips for Business Travelers to Nigeria, and the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, which are located on the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov. Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- An America West Airbus jet made an emergency landing at Kansas City International Airport after someone left a note in the plane's bathroom that said: "Taliban is Here."
The plane was flying from Phoenix to Boston Thursday when a passenger saw the note, KCI spokesman Joe McBride said.
The passenger notified the flight crew and the pilot landed the plane at KCI about 1:30 p.m., authorities said.
FYI, The following article regarding a flight from Teterboro Airport...same airport that JFK, Jr. used...same airport where commuter flight crashed on take-off this past February.
N.Y. Philanthropist's Plane Goes Missing (NY - 12/1/05)
BOSTON (AP) -- A plane piloted by a well-known New York philanthropist went missing off the coast of Nantucket on Thursday afternoon, his wife and federal authorities said. George F. Baker III, 66, was believed to be the only person on board.
The twin-engine Beechcraft took off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey and was about 2 1/2 miles from Nantucket Memorial Airport when it disappeared from radar.
Jim Peters, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the pilot spoke to air traffic controllers shortly before the plane disappeared. The plane did not issue a distress signal. The Coast Guard was searching for the plane.
Three Hurt in Texas Naval Station Gunfire (TX - 12/2/05)
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Gunfire at the Naval Air Station in Fort Worth has left at least three people hurt.
Details are sketchy about the shootings.
Base spokesman Don Ray confirms at least three people have been injured. No other details were immediately available.