The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has in a security alert to its staff, warned them against stepping outdoors after work hours.
The security alert dated July 27 and titled, “Urgent Security advisory,” read, “Intelligence reports warn of plans by undesirable elements to infiltrate various parts of the country, particularly state capitals, including the Federal Capital Territory, with the view to perpetrate crimes such as abductions and kidnappings for ransom, or as means of getting recruits for terrorist activities.”
The alert follows multiple security breaches around Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. Last night, Nigerian soldiers and armed bandits engaged in a shootout near Abuja.
Same Thursday night, the bandits attacked a farm and abducted a number of people in the FCT.
This attacks comes three days after about seven soldiers were killed by bandits in Bwari, another suburb of the Nigerian capital.
Three elite officers of the Presidential Guards Brigade were confirmed dead after sustaining life-threatening injuries from an ambush by Boko Haram terrorists on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Education on Monday directed the closure of all Federal Government Colleges (FGCs) in Abuja amid security threats on the FCT unity colleges.
Security tensions have heightened in the FCT since Boko Haram insurgents breached the prisons in Kuje, An Abuja suburb, releasing over 600 hardened criminals, including 64 terrorists.
Khalid Al-Barnawi, who masterminded the bombing of UN Headquarters in Abuja in 2011, and regarded as a valuable asset of the criminal sect was among those freed.