President Muhammadu Buhari urged his people on Friday not to panic and instead to remain calm but vigilant, following the alert put out on Sunday, October 23, by the US warning of a potential terror attack on Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

More countries – such as the UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Denmark, Bulgaria, India and Germany – had joined the US call for Nigeria to be on the alert for terror attacks, saying these could occur at government buildings, places of worship and other public spaces.

In the alert, the US urged its own citizens living, working or visiting the capital to avoid all non-essential movements and crowds.

Garba Shehu, Buhari’s spokesman, speaking on behalf of the president, advised the nation’s security establishment and the entire population to continue being vigilant and careful about security. But he emphasised the fact that people should not panic.

The statement read: “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. Indeed, the UK and US’ advice to their respective citizens for travel to each other’s countries contain the same warning. Unfortunately, terror is a reality the world over.

“However, it does not mean an attack on Abuja is imminent. Since the July prison raid, security measures have been reinforced in and around the FCT [Federal Capital Territory]. 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 government. Security services are working around the clock to keep harm at bay.”

Shehu said the president had given his assurance that the government was on top of the security situation in country.

“While noting, in addition, that security threats are real and have been with us for a long while, the nation’s military, the police and other security agencies have shown a capability to deal with it, as is evident from the fact that a majority of our partners, including the United Nations agencies, in our midst have not seen the threat as being sufficient to warrant any form of panic or order citizen evacuations.

“The president emphasises that while being security conscious, being alert and careful is crucial, and that it is also important that responsible members of the society do not create situations leading to unnecessary panic.”

Shehu said 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 and that these should not slacken now and during the coming festive period.

“President Buhari expresses optimism that given the ongoing efforts on the part of the military and other security and intelligence agencies, with the active support of the civilian population, the nation will emerge victorious against the current challenges facing it.”

Al Jazeera English news reported on Thursday, October 27, that the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) had said in a statement that “all strategic police managers in charge of commands and tactical formations within the country had been told to beef up security in their respective jurisdictions, especially in the FCT.”

Usman Alkali Baba, the Nigerian Inspector-General of Police, said all emergency numbers should be activated to help ensure a 24/7 prompt response, with combatant officers and men on standby.

He urged residents of the city of about six million “to remain vigilant and report any suspicious or abnormal occurrences and/or people to the police”.

The statement came as the US State Department on Thursday ordered the departure of diplomats’ families and authorised non-emergency government employees to leave Abuja.

“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting malls, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars or schools,” the State Department said in its country summary for Nigeria but did not give further details.

However, Jabi Lake Mall, a large shopping centre in Abuja, was temporarily shut down for unspecified security reasons. Apart from Abuja, the US advised citizens not to travel to a number of Nigerian states, including Borno and Yobe in the northeast.

The Nigerian Government said Nigerians and foreigners in the country “should continue to be alert but must not to panic”.

“I can assure all that our military and other security agencies have continued to do everything possible to secure and protect Nigerians and foreigners living in Nigeria,” said Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture.

Usman Idris, a resident of Abuja, told RNI that most citizens did not take the security threat too seriously and were carrying on with business as usual.

“I went out to work and I was not fearful, not in the least,” he said.

This was not the first time the US and other Western countries had raised security alerts about potential attacks not only in Nigeria but in other countries where their citizens travelled for work or other reasons, he said. This time the alert was directed at US citizens who were advised not to travel to or live in states, such as Borno, Kaduna and Kano, among others.

“Nothing has come of the alert. So, for me, I do not think this is something anyone should worry about. I believe that by the grace of God no attack will take place in Abuja. The government has put all the necessary security measures in place and there are large numbers of security operatives in the country to maintain peace and security.

“What people should understand is that there is insecurity and security threats in the US and the same Western countries that endorsed the US alert.

Idris said gangs with guns often terrorised people in those countries and in the US, particulary, there had been mass shootings in shopping malls, schools and public gatherings. Even the former Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated while delivering a speech in July.

“So, to me, this indicates that there is no country in the world that is truly safe. All countries experience security threats. Developed countries, such as the US and France, have been vulnerable to attacks even though their intelligence units are more sophisticated than ours. Many times people do not even know about terror attacks that happen in developed countries because they are hushed up by the international media and are underreported.”

Following the alert, Idris said he had seen no changes in Abuja. There was no visible heightened security, such as a heavy presence of security operatives, extra surveillance and checkpoints. He said the government had taken the alert seriously, but there were already security measures in place to ensure the safety of the lives and property of all citizenry.

“I believe residents of Abuja should not panic but they should be extra careful, vigilant and security conscious at all times. They should cooperate fully with security operatives and we have all been asked by the government to immediately report anything unusual or suspicious to security personnel.

“Our government has sworn and pledged to protect the lives and property of all its citizenry by providing all the necessary security to ensure this. We all know that if Abuja falls or is attacked, then no place will be safe in Nigeria,” Idris said.

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO