By Ismaila Chafe
President Muhammadu Buhari’s advice to nation’s security establishment and entire citizens to continue being vigilant, and to avoid panic has continued to yield fruitful results as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its satellite towns remain peaceful.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two days after Buhari’s reaction to the travel advisories issued by the U.S. and UK governments to their respective citizens no single terror attack had been reported in Abuja and its environs.
NAN observed that all places of worship in FCT and its satellite towns throughout Friday and Sunday remained peaceful as worshippers performed their spiritual obligations hitch-free.
The president, who returned from Seoul, South Korea, in the course of the week, where he attended the First World Bio Summit, gave the advice while reacting to security advisories issued by some embassies in Abuja.
The Nigerian leader advised the nation’s security establishment and entire citizens to continue being vigilant, saying it is important to avoid panic.
According to him, the recent changes in travel advice from the U.S. and UK governments should not be a cause for panic.
”Nigeria is no exception in having terror threats listed in foreign government’s travel advice to their citizens.
”UK and U.S. travel advisories also state there is a high likelihood of terror attacks in many Western European nations.
”Indeed, the UK and U.S. 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,” the president said in a statement by his media aide on Friday.
Buhari expressed 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 would emerge victorious against the current challenges facing it.
While in Seoul, the Nigerian leader presented Nigeria’s Statement at the summit where he expressed Nigeria’s readiness to become a global hub for sustainable manufacturing and distribution of vaccines and biological pharmaceuticals to support initiatives to keep all of mankind safe.
The president also held a bilateral meeting with his Korean counterpart, Mr Yoon Suk-Yeol at the Presidential Palace on the sidelines of the summit.
Buhari met with the former United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, as well as the African Group of Ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Korea on the sidelines of the summit in Seoul.
The Nigerian leader, who granted audience to representatives of strategic Korean companies and industries in Seoul, advocated increased Korean investments in Nigeria for mutual economic benefit.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the summit.
Buhari also witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd and Daewoo Group for the rehabilitation of the Kaduna refinery.
Before departing Seoul, the president had an interactive meeting with the leadership and select members of the Nigerian Community as part of his engagements at the end of the summit on Thursday.
The president, who joined other Muslim faithful to perform the Friday Juma’at two-raka’at prayer at the Aso Rock Mosque, later met behind closed door with Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State at the State House. (NAN )
