The United States Government has issued a worldwide security alert for its citizens in Nigeria and across the globe following U.S. military operations in Iran and rising fears of retaliation across the Middle East. The advisory, dated February 28 and published by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, urged Americans to exercise increased caution and monitor updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
In the notice, the U.S. Department of State warned that the evolving security situation could disrupt international travel, including through periodic airspace closures. “Following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran, Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate,” the department said. It added that Americans worldwide should “exercise increased caution.”
The advisory also directed U.S. nationals to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, STEP, to receive security updates and emergency information. The U.S. Mission in Nigeria separately urged citizens to follow the “U.S. Department of State – Security Updates for U.S. Citizens” WhatsApp channel for timely notifications. The alert follows a major escalation in the Iran crisis after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other senior officials, according to Reuters. The strikes marked one of the most significant attacks on Iran’s leadership structure in decades and have heightened fears of reprisals against U.S. interests worldwide.
Reuters and other outlets reported that Iranian state-linked sources and relief officials put the death toll from the strikes at more than 200, with over 700 people injured, though casualty figures remain difficult to verify independently.
President Donald Trump said over the weekend that Iran’s new leadership had reached out for talks and that he had agreed, even as he insisted U.S. combat operations would continue until Washington’s objectives were achieved. The new U.S. warning does not identify a specific threat in Nigeria, but it places American citizens there under the broader global caution now in effect as tensions with Iran continue to widen. One factual cleanup from your draft: the State Department alert is dated February 28, 2026, not Sunday in the original U.S. notice.
