FG dismisses threats of attack on Abuja, declares FCT safe
The Federal Government has dismissed reports of planned terror attack on Abuja.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) had reportedly, in a leaked letter dated December 23, 2021, and signed by the Land Border Patrol Commander, Edirin Okoto, on behalf of the Acting Comptroller General Of Immigration Service, Idris Jere, said it received intelligence from the Presidency that some terrorists from Mali, want to move through the border Nigeria shares with Niger Republic to launch an attack in Abuja.
While briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the emergency meeting of the National Security Council, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday in Abuja, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola described the reported imminent attack on the FCT as false and untrue.
According to the minister, Abuja is safe and secured from terrorist attacks.
“I’ve given you the outcome of the Security Council meeting, but to your question, there isn’t any threat to safety and security of Abuja.
“Abuja is secure and very safe. If there was a leak as you have mentioned, it could just be operational alert that does not require any worry or concern.
“The Council has mandated us to assure Nigerians of their safety, of their security and enduring peace for the period of the festivities”, he said.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, who also addressed the correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, condemned Thursday’s rockets attack on Maiduguri by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Baba said the terrorists were, however, unable to achieve their objectives with the rocket attacks.
“They are launching it in major towns, they are launching it in Maiduguri. It is a concern. And it has been seriously checkmated. There are efforts to continuously checkmate it.
“What they have done yesterday (Thursday), yes, they have done it, but to a large extent, they have not achieved what they have intended to achieve because of the measures the security agencies, particularly the military, put in place”, he said