Originally Posted by hershie

Here is Lonely Planet's take on things:

From religious tensions in the north with the spread of Sharia law, to border conflict in the southeast with Cameroon as well as violent crime throughout the south, travellers need to be aware of what is going on around them at all times.

Lagos and the Niger River delta in the south are particularly unstable, with carjackings, kidnapping, piracy, riots and ethnic clashes prevalent; the northern city of Kano is also dodgy. Travelling from the airport to Lagos can be an unpleasant initiation. Visitors to Lagos should arrange to be met on arrival.

Street crime, robberies and muggings occur throughout the country, often in broad daylight. There have also been territorial disputes in the oil-rich region of Bakassi, adjoining neighbouring Cameroon in the southeast. The dispute is being resolved diplomatically for the time being but warrants close monitoring if you're considering travelling through the area.