The Nigeria Police on Wednesday refuted the claim of the United Kingdom (UK) Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), which on Tuesday raised an alarm about imminent terror attacks in Nigeria and warned to its citizens about travelling to some Nigerian states.
Police Public Relations Officer Frank Mba debunked the claim in a statement issued on Wednesday, stressing that Nigeria remained one of the most “beautiful places to live in the world”.
“While Nigeria Police acknowledge that Nigeria is not without some security challenges, just like other nations of the world, including the advanced democracies, we wish to restate that Nigeria remains one of the most beautiful places to live in the world. It is a safe country with its peculiar socio-economic and security challenges,” Mba said.
“We therefore wish to reassure Nigerians and the International Community of their safety and commitment of the police and other security agencies to continue to provide effective security services to the nation,” Mba added.
The statement on the UK government website said all travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River States and 20km of the border with Niger in Zamfara State should be cancelled.
The FCO also warned against all but essential travel to: Bauchi, Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina, Kogi and within 20km of the border with Niger in Sokoto and Kebbi States, non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Abia States.
It said that: “Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Nigeria. Most attacks occur in the northeast, particularly in Borno (including central Maiduguri and along access routes connecting the city to other major towns and along the Niger border, including in Damasak), Yobe, including the eastern LGAs bordering Borno State both north and south of the Damaturu road), and Adamawa States,” it said.
The statement further noted that there have also been significant attacks in Gombe, Kano, Kaduna, Jos and Bauchi States and in the Federal capital, Abuja. It added that the terrorist threat across eastern Yobe and Borno State was high, with frequent recent attacks.
“Terrorist groups carried out attacks in North East Nigeria during the February 2019 election period, and further attacks are likely. We continue to advise against all travel to Borno and Yobe States.
The statement further added that on 23 February, 2019,the Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) launched an attack involving indirect fire that resulted in explosions in multiple locations within Maiduguri.
The CFO warned UK citizens to avoid places where crowds gather, including political meetings, religious gatherings and places of worship, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, transport hubs and camps for displaced people.
It also noted that the attacks could be “indiscriminate and could affect western interests as well as places visited by tourists. Besides Abuja, other major towns and cities remain particularly at risk, including Kano and Kaduna it noted.
“There’s a high threat of kidnap throughout Nigeria. Kidnaps can be motivated by criminality or terrorism and could be carried out for financial or political gain.
“The security environment in the northeast has deteriorated since 2018 and there is a heightened risk of kidnap. Kidnaps in the northeast have included humanitarian and private sector workers. There are also reports that Boko Haram and ISWA are continuing to actively plan to kidnap foreigners.
“As well as in north-east Nigeria, this is believed to include some northern and middle belt states including Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Kaduna, Niger and Adamawa.
The statement also warned UK citizens that if they work in or travel to areas where there is a Boko Haram or ISWA presence, especially in the north-east of Nigeria, they should be aware of the risk of terrorist kidnapping.
It further warned that there was also a high threat of criminal kidnap in the Niger Delta region and Kogi State.
“If you travel to areas to which the FCO advise against travel, you are particularly at risk and will need a high level of security. If you’re working in northern Nigeria you should make sure your employers provide an adequate level of security where you live and where you work, make sure they regularly review security arrangements and familiarise yourself with those plans,” the statement said.
