Ekeomah Atuonwu
On Sunday, the United States and Britain issued a warning over a potential terrorist assault in Abuja, the federal capital of Nigeria, with particular emphasis on targeting government structures, houses of worship, and educational institutions.
Nigeria is mostly facing an Islamist insurgency in the northeast, but in July, the Islamic State claimed credit for a raid on an Abuja jail that resulted in the release of over 440 prisoners, sparking concerns that terrorists were leaving their strongholds.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria stated that “there is a heightened danger of terrorist strikes in Nigeria, notably Abuja,” and added that other sites at risk included shopping centers, jails, and foreign organizations.
Limited services would be offered up until further notice, the U.S. Embassy warned Nigerian citizens in a message.
The government of the United Kingdom issued a warning to its residents in Nigeria, stating that there was “greater threat of terrorist attack in Abuja.“
Attacks “may be indiscriminate and may harm Western interests as well as tourist destinations,” it said.
When Nigerians go to the polls in February to elect a new president to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, insecurity, which has spread throughout the country, will be a key topic.
The foreign affairs ministry of Nigeria did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
