News about imminent terrorist attack sponsored to create fear – Police PRO

The Nigerian Police Public Relation Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi on Saturday said the news about an imminent terrorist attack is sponsored to create fear.

He asked Nigerians to disregard the news, as it is fake news.

“We, therefore, urge residents of the FCT and Nigerians at large to disregard this fake news, which was purportedly sponsored to create fear in our people and heat up the polity,” Mr Adejobi said.

He added that it was disheartening to see news making rounds that every area of the FCT had been saturated with bombs.

“We still reiterate that the Federal Capital Territory is safe and there is no imminent threat, neither is the FCT being saturated with bombs, as speculated in the news.

“…even from some individuals who are presumed to be peace ambassadors and patriotic agents of national unity in Nigeria.”

Such news, he said, will do Nigeria no good as it will further create panic in citizens and residents of the FCT and Nigeria at large.

Mr Adejobi said the police will continue to adopt all effective operational strategies to decimate the activities of non-state actors and other criminal elements in the country.

Since the Sunday advisory by the US, many other foreign missions have issued similar advisories, PREMIUM TIMES reported.

The Nigerian government has, however, advised citizens not to panic and said security agencies were working hard to prevent any attack.

The US Department of State, in a further escalation of the threat, approved the departure of its citizens willing to leave Nigeria due to the alert. The US embassy also suspended consular services in Abuja.

Julius Berger on Friday asked its expatriates to avoid public gatherings until Monday, 31 October.

A popular mall, Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja, also shut down on Thursday citing security reasons.

READ ALSO: PDP accuses APC of sponsoring thugs to attack supporters

However, the Nigerian government, through the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, condemned the US and UK advisories. The government insisted that Nigeria, including the capital Abuja, is safe. Mr Mohammed said all countries including the US, have their own challenges.

President Muhammadu Buhari has also urged Nigerians to be calm but vigilant.

According to a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, Mr Buhari also advised “the nation’s security establishment and entire citizens to continue being vigilant and careful with security, saying it is important to avoid panic.”

PREMIUM TIMES reported the search operation at the TradeMoore estate in Lugbe on Monday.

Officials at the estate said two suspected terrorists were arrested during the operation. The chairman of the residents association at the estate said the operation was conducted alongside US Forces.

The State Security Service (SSS) on Friday confirmed that its officials conducted a search operation at an estate in Abuja. It, however, denied that the operation was conducted in partnership with American soldiers.

Nigeria is facing various forms of insecurity including attacks by Boko Haram and its affiliates in the North-east, armed bandits in the North-west and North-central and violent secessionists in the South-east.