US ORDERS DIPLOMATIC STAFF AND FAMILIES TO LEAVE NIGERIAN CAPITAL

Fri 28 October 2022:

Family members of US federal workers were told to leave Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, on Thursday by the State Department due to heightened risk of terrorist attacks.

The order comes two days after the department asked non-emergency US government employees and family members to leave the city.

In its travel advisory, it warned Americans to reconsider traveling to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and maritime crime.

The US State Department did not specify the threat, but its country summary for Nigeria warns that “terrorists may attack with little or no warning,” targeting malls, markets, hotels, restaurants, bars or schools. “The department (has) ordered the departure of family members of U.S. government employees from Abuja due to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks there,” it said in a revised travel advisory for Nigeria.

The latest US security move comes after the embassy on Sunday urged Americans to limit their movements due to an “elevated risk of terror attacks in Nigeria, specifically in Abuja” – a warning repeated by Britain, Canada and Australia.

The US embassy in Abuja is only able to provide emergency assistance to US citizens in the city and the consulate in Lagos is providing all routine and emergency services to US citizens in Nigeria, according to the department.

“The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Nigeria due to security conditions,” the department added.

Nigeria’s secret and intelligence police, the Department of State Services, has called for calm and has advised that “necessary precautions” are being taken to prevent such attacks.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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