The Ministry wishes to inform the traveling public about security developments in Abuja, Nigeria, and the subsequent directive by local authorities to hotels operating in residential buildings to shut down.
Accordingly, the public is advised to avoid non-essential travel to Abuja due to the unpredictable security situation in the city and the high danger of terrorism, criminality, inter-communal conflict, armed attacks, and kidnappings.
While advising travelers who must travel out of necessity to Abuja to take precautionary measures, the Ministry will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the public when the situation improves.
Three weeks ago, the US, UK, and Australia issued warnings about terror attacks in Abuja, Nigeria. The alerts warned of possible hits on public places including government buildings, shopping malls, hotels, and transport terminals. All non-essential travel or movement was advised to be reconsidered.
In July, Islamist insurgents broke free from a 900-inmate prison in the capital.
It is believed that those who escaped are affiliated with the Islamic State as the group claimed responsibility for the jail break. Analysts point to this and other attacks in and around Abuja as necessitating the security alerts of this week’s nature.
Terror attacks in Nigeria have mostly happened in the northern region where Boko Haram and militant insurgents affiliated with the Islamic State have partly held territory over the past decade and a half. Borno, where schoolgirls were kidnapped in 2014, is 500 miles from Abuja.
The capital has also had its share of attacks. In 2011, a United Nations building was bombed, and 3 years later, explosions rocked a bus terminal killing 88. These security alerts, especially that of the US, come as Abuja becomes the take off stage for increased campaign activity ahead of presidential elections next February.
It is expected that the Nigerian government will do what it can to mitigate terrorism risks and avert planned attacks.
