Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
Arewa Youth Assembly, a Northern group, has demanded that the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd. ), and service chiefs be fired over the possibility of a terror attack in Abuja.
The call came just days after the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada warned that terrorists were planning an attack on the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT).
Countries such as Germany, Bulgaria, Ireland, and Denmark have also warned their citizens in Abuja to be cautious and avoid visiting public places.
The US Embassy announced on Sunday that it would provide reduced services until further notice and urged Americans to avoid non-essential movements.
Terrorists may target government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, athletic gatherings, transportation terminals, law enforcement facilities, and international organizations, according to the statement.
In addition, in an advisory issued on Sunday by its Embassy in Abuja, the United Kingdom advised its citizens in Nigeria to remain vigilant and exercise caution in their movements.
The British government also urged its citizens to heed local news and security officials’ advice in order to avoid becoming victims of a terrorist attack.
However, in a statement issued on Friday by its Speaker, Mohammed Danlami, the assembly urged President Muhammadu Buhari to fire the security chiefs and all intelligence agency heads.
Despite millions of dollars budgeted for security and the purchase of equipment to aid intelligence gathering, the group said the nation’s capital was vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
The assembly did, however, express regret that it took the intervention of the United States of America to expose the terrorists’ plans to attack Abuja.
“It is unimaginable that, despite the astronomic increase in our security budget and procurement of equipment to aid intelligence gathering, it took the intervention of the United States of America to expose the terrorists’ plans to attack our nation’s capital,” the statement said in part.
