The British Deputy High Commission has also modified its travel advice and temporarily closed down its liaison office in Port Harcourt:
We advise against all travel to the Niger Delta (Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States, including Port Harcourt) and to riverine areas of Cross River State. This is because of the very high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks in these areas. In 17 separate incidents since January 2006, 33 British nationals (including one child) and over 180 foreign nationals have been kidnapped in the Niger Delta area and one Briton has been killed. On 8 July 2007 a British national was one of two foreign nationals abducted from a vessel in a riverine location in Cross River State. See the Terrorism/Security section of this travel advice for more details.
We advise that the security situation in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States makes them unsafe for British nationals. We therefore advise British nationals to leave. If you stay, you do so at your own risk and should take professional security advice. The level of consular assistance we can provide is limited.
Since 7 August 2007 there has been a surge in gang related violence in Port Harcourt, with incidents across the city. Given the level and nature of violence, the High Commission Liaison Office in Port Harcourt (including British Council) and VFS Office has been closed. We will review this decision on 12 August 2007.
We advise against all but essential travel to Akwa Ibom State because of the high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks. You should maintain a high level of vigilance at all times, observe the strictest security measures and not travel unnecessarily. If travelling by road you should use fully protected transport. Six Russian nationals were abducted from a compound in Akwa Ibom State on 3 June 2007.
The high risk of kidnappings and other armed attacks in the Niger Delta applies also to ships and oil rigs at sea off the coast of the Delta. In 2007 there has been an increase in attacks offshore.