President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the nation’s security establishment and citizens to be vigilant and cautious about security, emphasizing the importance of avoiding panic.
He urged citizens to remain calm in the aftermath of recent changes in travel advice issued by the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom, saying they should not be cause for concern.
According to Garba Shahu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement issued on Friday, Buhari stated that Nigeria is not an exception to having terror threats listed in foreign governments’ travel advice to their citizens.
He also mentioned that travel advisories in the UK and US warn of a high risk of terrorist attacks in many Western European countries.
The statement further read, “Indeed, the UK and US advice to their respective citizens for travel to one another’s countries contain the same warning. Unfortunately, terror is a reality the world over.
“However, it does not mean an attack in Abuja is imminent. Since the July prison raid, security measures have been reinforced in and around the FCT. Heightened monitoring and interception of terrorist communications ensure potential threats are caught further upstream.
“Attacks are being foiled. Security agents are proactively rooting out threats to keep citizens safe – much of their work unseen and necessarily confidential.
“Nigerians’ safety remains the highest priority of government. Security services are working around the clock to keep harm at bay.
“The President gives assurances that the government is on top of the security situation in country.
“While noting, in addition that security threats are real and have been with us for a long while, the nation’s military, the police and other security agencies have shown a capability to deal with it, as is evident from the fact that a majority of our partners, including the United Nations agencies in our midst have not seen the threat as being sufficient to warrant any form of panic or order citizen evacuations.
“The President stresses that while being security conscious, being alert and careful is crucial, it is also important that responsible members of the society do not create situations leading to unnecessary panic.
“President Buhari commends the military and other security agencies for the recent turn around in the nation’s security, and directs that additional precautionary measures be put in place and that these must not slacken now, and during the upcoming festive period.
“President Buhari expresses optimism that given the on-going efforts on the part of the military and other security and intelligence agencies with the active support of the civilian population, the nation will emerge victorious against the current challenges facing it.”
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