The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed rumours of bombs being planted across Abuja, insisting that Nigeria’s administrative capital is safe with no imminent threat.
The clarification is contained in a statement issued via Twitter by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Saturday, October 29, 2022. He described the reports as fake news purportedly sponsored to create fear in Nigerians.
Adejobi also assured that the Nigeria Police will continue to adopt all effective operational strategies to decimate the activities of non-state actors and other criminal elements in the country.
Nigeria Police Allays Fears: The statement, which was seen by Nairametrics, insisted that Abuja is safe. It added that such fearful rumours do not do the country any good but rather create panic. Part of the statement said:
- “It is surprising and disheartening to read in the news and on social media that bombs are being planted in every area of the Federal Capital Territory, even by some individuals who are presumed to be peace ambassadors and patriotic agents of national unity in Nigeria.
- ‘’I don’t think it will do our country any good to continually spread such fearful rumours to further create more panic among citizens and residents of the FCT and Nigeria at large.
- ‘’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. 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.
- ‘’We will continue to adopt all effective operational strategies to decimate the activities of non-state actors and other criminal elements in the country.’’
Nigeria has Security Challenges: For years, Nigeria has been grappling with serious security challenges including terrorism, banditry, rising kidnapping incidents, etc. Efforts by successive governments to bring the situation under control have yielded little or no results.
Security Warnings by the US and UK: Recall that the US Government recently issued security alerts over the elevated risk of terror attacks in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The US warned that the targets for the terror attacks may include government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, and transport terminals, among many others.
To this end, the US Government ordered the evacuation of its embassy employees and their families from Nigeria.
The British Government also issued a travel advisory warning its citizens to “consider movements carefully, follow the local news and the advice of security authorities.”
