The terror alerts issued on the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, not only created panic but crippled economic and social life in the city.
A fortnight ago, the federal capital territory was thrown into turmoil following the release of a security advisory by the United States embassy to its staff.
The US embassy had in its security advisory stated that there was an elevated risk of terror attacks in Nigeria, specifically in Abuja.
The statement said targets may include but are not limited to, government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, athletic gatherings, transport terminals, law enforcement facilities, and international organizations.
The US embassy, while stating to offer reduced services until further notice, asked its personnel to avoid all non-essential travel or movement, stay alert, avoid crowds, review personal security plans and keep cell phones charged in case of emergency while carrying proper identification.
In the days that followed, other foreign missions despite the Nigerian government’s rebuff repeated the same alarm causing panic and chaos.
The United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia amongst others issued a similar advisory to their staff thereby worsening the fragile situation.
Basically, Abuja has been touted to be the target of terror groups in recent times. Terrorists had earlier in the year released a video threatening to attack Abuja in particular the Aso Rock to abduct the President.
Also in July, this year, terrorists who sought haven in the bushes surrounding the city killed nine soldiers of the Presidential Guards Brigade in Bwari who were detailed to forestall their criminal activities.
A public servant, Mrs Chukwu (first name withheld) who missed work on 24 October 2022 said she could not risk it despite working for the Nigerian government.
She lamented the Nigerian government’s negligence to citizens’ welfare while re-echoing the experience of kidnapped victims and other victims of insurgency.
She said if the government cannot address the pains and trauma of the Madalla Christmas bomb attack, Chibok girls abduction, Dapchi and others abducted by bandits in the North West, what is the guarantee of averting such impending attacks?
She lamented further that government secrecy in handling security issues has led to mistrust; hence, she would rather adhere to the US government’s security advisory and avoid any unfortunate happening.
An Uber driver who simply identified himself as Mr James Mommoh said the city center was more of a ghost city following the alert.
He lamented that his ride-hailing business has been disrupted putting his balance settlement in jeopardy.
He said though he had just settled with the fleet owner, money to make the next payment was his top priority as there were no clients.
“My brother, since that advisory, I switched on my app and waited for the next request but none came, I decided to drive to the city centre where we normally have more requests but the town was in ghost mode. I had to return to my house and park,” he said.
Another resident of the city and a worker in one of the worship centers Pastor David Paul said worshipers failed to turn up in their usual number during the midweek service.
He noted that when he went round the city to take back worshipers to their various destinations, he realized that many recreational centres were also not booming as they used to be.
A retired civil servant and owner of a garden in the city simply known as Yakubu said the threat crippled his economic mainstay as a retiree who depends on his business for survival.
He noted that many of his customers have shunned the garden following the security advisory.
LEADERSHIP Weekend observed that social life has reduced drastically while a few people operating rely more on divine intervention for their safety.
Most people who spoke to this paper did not express confidence in the capacity of security agencies for their protection.
The director of Defence Information Major General ,Jimmy Akpor, said the media gave undue prominence to the American Embassy thereby making the nation’s security institutions a secondary figure or seemingly incapable of keeping the nation safe.
“Thank you for commending us regarding the American security alert, I’m surprised that you are still asking for any updates because on this issue there was a security council meeting, the President has spoken, the NSA spoke on this same issue, the CDS also spoke, the foreign minister also spoke on this issue so I’m surprised that the DSS has released a press release on this same issue and you asking what is the DHQ doing about it.
“I was on NTA Good Morning Nigeria yesterday and I said before even the alert, there are 100 institutions that are established to secure the environment to ensure that we all live our lives in safety.
“People have been working, the AFN is there, the Police is there, the DSS and other paramilitary agencies, they are not just established for fun. They are established to carry out specific constitutional roles which they have been doing even before the alert.
“Most of what has been happening was intelligence-driven and you don’t have to see what the nation’s security officials are doing.
“They are doing a lot to make people safe because most of their activities are clandestine and you can’t depend on any foreign missions for your space to be kept safe. Your institutions are capable, they are solid and we’ll continue to do our best day and night to keep the environment safe.”
He said the institutions that have been established to keep the environment safe will not relent, and they will do their constitutional mandate to ensure that they deliver.
On the reportage of the security advisory, he said the media reportage opt not come from the angle of the US embassy but more prominence should be given to the DSS.
“The DSS issued a press release, why not take your reportage from the capability of your own institutions that assured that before this they have issued several releases warning us on what to do and not to do. Why not take the report from the DSS?” he queried.
“If you did that you would have given the credit to the DSS and not given so much kudos to the American embassy. The American embassy now becomes a secondary aspect of the reportage.
“That is the way other people report issues that concern their national security. They don’t give the credit out to someone else and make their own look like a second figure, no.
“They cannot do anything for us, we are the ones to do it for ourselves and I want to assure you that so much has been done, and even before the alert so much had been done to keep the environment safe and we’ll not sleep,” he stated.
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