Terrorists to stage attack in Nigeria’s capital, Western embassies warn

The United States and other Western embassies on Monday (24 October) advised their citizens to limit travel to Nigeria because of an increased threat of terrorist attacks, although Nigerian authorities sought to reassure them.
A note issued by the US embassy warning its citizens of “a high risk of terrorist attacks in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja“ was followed by a similar alert and travel warning by the British High Commission and other European countries’ diplomatic missions. Also Canada and Australia have also issued similar warnings, advising their citizens in Nigeria, particularly in the capital Abuja, to avoid crowded public areas. According to reports, they are all reducing services and will be attending only to critical needs. It was not immediately clear whether the advice was based on a new security threat or came after recent incidents.
Fighters linked to the Islamic State (IS) group have claimed responsibility for several attacks in states near the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in the past half a year. These Western embassies also recalled that schools had been targeted by Islamists in the past. Following these multiple Western warnings, the Department of State Services (DSS) of Nigeria assured that “all necessary precautions have been taken“. Western diplomats and residents of Abuja and its surrounding areas are increasingly concerned about insecurity following a mass escape, including of dozens of suspected jihadists, in July at Kuje prison on the outskirts of the capital city. Overall, Abuja is also bordered by states facing very high levels of banditry, with heavily armed gangs killing, kidnapping and looting entire villages.