UK Riots Prompt Travel Warnings from Nigeria, Indonesia, and Others

Countries including Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and Canada have warned their citizens against traveling to the United Kingdom following a series of violent riots.

The unrest began after a tragic knife attack at a children’s dance class in Southport, northwest England, last Monday, which led to the deaths of three girls and injuries to ten others. 

This incident sparked widespread protests fueled by misinformation suggesting the attacker was an immigrant and a radical Islamist. However, police confirmed that the suspect, who was born in Britain, is not being treated as a terrorist.

Foreign media have reported more than 420 arrests as social media-fueled riots spread across the UK. In one incident, a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, near Sheffield, was petrol-bombed, leading to clashes with police and injuries to ten riot officers.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to do “whatever it takes to bring these thugs to justice” during a national address on Sunday.

In response to the violence, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesperson Ambassador Eche Abu-Ode, advised citizens to avoid political processions, rallies, and crowded areas, while urging them to stay vigilant.

“The violence has reached dangerous proportions, as evidenced by attacks on law enforcement agents and damage to infrastructure,” Abu-Ode stated. The Federal Government also encouraged citizens to contact the Nigerian High Commission in the UK for relevant information.