PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said Nigerians should not panic over terror alerts issued by different countries to warn of likely terrorist attacks in Nigeria.
The United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Bulgaria had all issued travel advisories to their citizens against travel to Nigeria.
The countries warned of likely terrorist attacks in Nigeria, especially in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Reacting to the development, Buhari, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on Friday, said that the security alerts were not peculiar to Nigeria.
According to the President, European countries were also getting terror alerts.
While advising Nigerians to be vigilant, Buhari noted that the travel advisories issued by the countries’ embassies to their citizens were not an indication that there would be attacks on the nation’s capital.
He said security agents in the FCT have been on the alert since the attack on the Kuje prison in July this year.
“Nigeria is no exception in having terror threats listed in foreign government’s travel advice to their citizens. UK and US travel advisories also state there is a high likelihood of terror attacks in many Western European nations,” he said.
“Indeed, the UK and US advice to their respective citizens for travel to one another’s countries contain the same warning. Unfortunately, terror is a reality the world over.
“However, it does not mean an attack in Abuja is imminent. Since the July prison raid, security measures have been reinforced in and around the FCT. Heightened monitoring and interception of terrorist communications ensure potential threats are caught further upstream.
“Attacks are being foiled. Security agents are proactively rooting out threats to keep citizens safe – much of their work is unseen and necessarily confidential. Nigerians’ safety remains the highest priority of the government. Security services are working around the clock to keep harm at bay.”
Buhari further noted that while security threats are real, the nation’s military, police and other security agencies have shown a capability to deal with them.
Despite the US order to its non-essential staff and their families to depart the country, the President that the majority of “our partners, including the United Nations agencies in our midst, have not seen the threat as sufficient to warrant any form of panic or order citizen evacuations”.
He stressed that while being security conscious, alert and careful was crucial, it was also important that responsible members of the society do not create situations leading to unnecessary panic.
Buhari commended the military and other security agencies for the recent turn around in the nation’s security and directed that additional precautionary measures be put in place to ensure the safety of every resident now and during the festive seasons in December.
The terror alerts, which began with the US and UK governments on Sunday, have generated a lot of mixed feelings and reactions among Nigerians, particularly residents of the FCT.
Security operatives led by the Department of State Service (DSS) and operatives of the American Army arrested some suspected terrorists at the Trademore Estate in Lugbe area of the FCT on Wednesday.
There were News reports in the early hours of Friday that a joint operation launched by the DSS, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the police and other security agencies successfully dismantled a terror cell and arrested five Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commanders and 30 fighters.
According to the Punch, the terror suspects were apprehended at their hideouts in different locations in Abuja, Mararaba and other satellite towns in the Federal Capital Territory.
You can reach out to me on Twitter via: vincent_ufuoma