Against the backdrop of the terror alerts issued by both the United States and the United Kingdom last week, the Federal Government, on Monday, assured Nigerians to go about their lawful businesses as the country is safe and secure.
The government also came blasted the United States Mission in Nigeria, the British High Commission and other foreign missions over the terror alerts they issued last week.
The Federal Government dismissed the security advisories, describing them as false, insisting that it was irresponsible to give signals of heightened insecurity in the country when there was no basis for it.
The National Security Adviser, Maj Gen Babagana Monguno (retd.) stated this after the emergency meeting of the National Security Council summoned by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Experts, however, advised the government to exercise caution in its outright dismissal of the security warning.
The US, UK, and later by Canada, Germany and Bulgaria had warned their nationals in Nigeria of an impending terrorist attack and asked them to avoid travel to Abuja.
They noted that suspected terrorists could target government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, sports gatherings, transport terminals, law enforcement facilities, and international organisations.
The US subsequently permitted its non-essential staff and their family members to leave the country in updated travel advice.
The warnings triggered panic and tension across the country, especially in Abuja, the nation’s capital as many workers stayed away from the office while the roads were devoid of traffic.
In response to the apprehension created by the alert, the popular Jabi Mall and a construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc shut down, citing security concerns.
To allay fears, the security forces launched a counter-intelligence operation which led to the arrest of several terror suspects, including two persons at the Trademore Estate, Lugbe, a satellite town in the Federal Capital.
The operatives also carried out patrols while the military and police mounted checkpoints at strategic parts of the capital city.
But briefing correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, Monguno reassured Nigerians that there was no cause for alarm and urged the citizens and other residents to go about their businesses without any sense of apprehension.
The NSA added that the armed forces, security and intelligence agencies were on alert to ensure that the country was safe.
Monguno stated;
“We just concluded a sitting, an emergency meeting of the National Security Council, which was held at the behest of Mr President. We have just concluded the meeting and the meeting basically, was to discuss recent happenings within the FCT and certain declarations and alerts coming from various quarters, insinuating growing insecurity and threat to security within the FCT and environments.
“In rounding off, I will like to first and foremost, assure all the citizens of this country that any exaggerated sense of insecurity, any hype about the disintegration of our security forces, and intelligence agencies, is unfounded. I want to assure Nigerians that so far, the situation has been under control, and the intelligence and security agencies have made a lot of arrests. They are evaluating and exploiting all the materials in their possession.’’
Speaking further, Monguno said,
“We are not in the habit of disclosing whatever has been done but the most important thing is that from the time this story started emerging until now, about a week to 10 days, you can see that so far the situation has been brought under control.
“The issue of Nigerians being made to panic is unnecessary. The situation in various areas of the Federal Capital Territory, the situation has been brought under control and we’re trying as much as possible to work with our neighbours and within the domestic situation, to work with our foreign partners responsibly, without giving the impression that Nigeria is skating on thin ice and we are about to implode; that I will want to dispel any illusion about any heightened sense of insecurity.
‘’It is false, it is irresponsible for anybody to give that signal. We are working with our foreign partners in a responsible way and Nigerians should go about their normal daily undertakings without being put in a situation of fear.”
Also speaking, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor assured that the nation’s armed forces are doing everything to keep the situation under control, saying that Nigerians should go about their normal business without fear.
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