The Federal government has said that Nigeria, especially the nations capital is safe and urged them to go about their normal duties and Nigeria international partners, UN Agencies have not seen the threat to warrant panic.
This is coming few days after US and UK government issues a terror alerts to its citizens in Nigeria.
Speaking to Journalists after the emergency security meeting summoned by President Muhammadu Buhari o Monday, the National Security Adviser, NSA, Babagana Monguno said security agencies have reinforced security measures 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 unseen and necessarily confidential.
The NSA who addressed the correspondents alongside the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lucky Irabor, noted that the US and UK travel advisories had created unnecessary fear and apprehension among Nigerians adding that the terror alert was needless as the hype and the sense of insecurity it created were unfounded.
According to him, security and intelligence agencies are are working around the clock to keep harm at bay.
”From the time this alarm story came out until now, about a week to 10 days, we 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, the federal capital territory, the situation has been brought under control.
”We are trying as much as possible to work with our neighbours and within the domestic situation to work with our foreign partners in a responsible way without giving the impression that Nigeria is stetting on thin ice to explored.
”That has come to dispel any illusion about any sense of heightened 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 back to their normal daily undertakings without being put in a situation of fear”, he stated.
On his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Onyeama, called on citizens to ignore the security threat and travel advisory recently issued by the US and UK, and continue with their daily routines.
He emphasised that the threat and advisory were mainly issued to the citizens of the countries that originated them observing that it had been the norm for US to make such pronouncements to its citizens, as dictated by their constitution, just as she almost simultaneously did in South Africa.
”Nigeria has been engaging the United States (US) on intelligent sharing,” It’s been the norm for US to make such pronouncement.
”We engage the US from this, and their response was that they are obliged to put out those kinds of statements, normally travel advisories.
”But in this case, it was an alert, but they said that they were obliged to, for their citizens, and that the advice, you know, the alert was really, for their citizens.
”They do it around the world, as you know, they did it also in South Africa, in this particular case,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief of Defence Staff said security agencies had been on their toes to thwart all threats. Nigerians’ safety remains the highest priority of government.
Top on the list of those in attendance at the meeting are Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno among others.
