The Federal Government has denied reports of a possible attack on Abuja by foreign terrorists during this festive season. The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola made this known saying that Abuja and its environs are well secured, urging residents to go about their businesses without fear.
Aregbesola said this while responding to questions from State House correspondents on Friday, after the emergency meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari , in Abuja.
He said, “I have given you the outcome of the Security Council meeting, but to your question, there is not any threat to the safety and security of Abuja.
“Abuja is secure and very safe. If there was a leak, as you mentioned, it could just be an operational alert that doesn’t require any worry or concern.
Speaking further on the outcome of the meeting, the minister said, “The Council has mandated us to assure Nigerians of their safety, of their security and enduring peace for the period of the festivities.”
It could be recalled that security agencies, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, have intensified security within Abuja after they received a warning from the Presidency over a planned attack by some terrorists during the Christmas holiday.
This was according to a letter, dated December 23, 2021, signed by the Land Border Patrol Commander, Edirin Okoto, on behalf of the Acting Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Idris Jere, which was addressed to all sector commanders and border patrol corps all over the country.
In the letter titled, ‘Terrorists Plan Attacks In Abuja’, the NIS informed its officers that the information on the impending attack was from the Presidency stating that the terrorists were coming from Mali, one of whom possessed a diplomatic passport.