Nigeria working with foreign partners on terror alert – Onyeama

The Federal Government on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to the security of Nigerians amidst the warning of possible terror attacks in the nation’s capital, Abuja.

The United States Embassy in Nigeria on October 23 alerted Americans living in the country on possible terror attacks on Abuja.

The United Kingdom, Ireland, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, and Finland later raised the same alarm and warned their nationals against unplanned trips to the city.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last Friday assured Nigerians of his administration’s determination to keep the country safe and peaceful.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who addressed journalists at a press conference in Abuja, said the government was working with foreign partners to deal with the situation in a constructive manner.

The National Security Adviser, Major-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd), and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, were also at the briefing.

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The minister urged countries to be cautious in spreading news capable of causing panic among people.

Onyeama said: “There’s a foreign dimension to this issue, as alerts are always issued by foreign countries, with missions here in Nigeria.

“Now, the ministry of foreign affairs, as well as the Nigerian Intelligence Agency, have been working very closely to fully get on top of the situation, but also to engage with our foreign partners, first of all, to mitigate and blunt any threat that there could be from outside the country.

“ We are also working and engaging with the foreign missions within the country to ensure that whatever we do, whatever we say, is constructive and should not, in any way, cause unnecessary alarm, and in any way destabilise the country.

“So, just to reassure the country that we are in full engagement with foreign partners and that our security personnel and agencies are fully on top of the situation, and that as they have said, there’s really no cause for alarm.

“We want to push more for greater coordination and synergy with our foreign partners and make sure that that cooperation with them is a constructive one, not an alarmist one.”

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