*Army sets up emergency call centre
*BA cancels London-Abuja flight, reschedules others till November 7
*Julius Berger warns staff to avoid public places in FCT
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Chinedu Eze in Lagos
In a move to douse tension generated by the reports on social media that bombs were planted in many parts of Abuja, the Nigeria Police yesterday reassured the residents of the capital city that there was no truth in such claims.
The United States, United Kingdom and other foreign missions had last week released security alert, warning their citizens to steer clear of Abuja because of planned terrorist attack.
But in furtherance of proactive security measures put in place to address the tension, the Nigerian Army has set up an emergency call centre and appealed to the citizenry to utilise the numbers in case of any eventuality.
However, despite the security measures being put in place by the army and the police, British Airways (BA) yesterday cancelled its London-Abuja flight and rescheduled other London-Abuja and Abuja-London flights from October 30 to November 7, 2022.
Construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, also yesterday issued a security advisory, warning staff to avoid public places and events within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and other areas where many may meet.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Nigeria Police said there were no such threats and affirmed that the nation’s capital remained safe.
The statement issued by the Force Headquarters said there was no imminent threat to the FCT, and neither was any bomb planted in any part of the territory.
“It is surprising and disheartening to read in the news and on social media that bombs are being planted in every area of the Federal Capital Territory, even from some individuals, who are presumed to be peace ambassadors and patriotic agents of national unity in Nigeria.
“I don’t think it will do our country any good to continually spread such fearful rumours to further create more panic to citizens and residents of the FCT and Nigeria at large,” the statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer and Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said.
The statement added that the purported claim that bombs were planted in many locations was unfounded.
“We still reiterate that the Federal Capital Territory is safe and there is no imminent threat, neither is the FCT being saturated with bombs as speculated in the news.
“We, therefore, urge residents of the FCT and Nigerians at large to disregard this fake news which was purportedly sponsored to create fear in our people and heat the polity.
“We will continue to adopt all effective operational strategies to decimate the activities of non-state actors and other criminal elements in the country,” the statement explained.
Also speaking in Ibusa, Delta State, yesterday, the Inspector General of Police (IG, Mr. Alkali Baba Usman, described the alarm raised by the US and other countries over the terror alert in Abuja as unnecessary security alert that does not have meaning.
Usman who was in the town for the inauguration of an anti-bomb modern police station and barracks for officers and men, said it was only proper if there was security threats, for the diplomats to inform the authorities rather than calling on their citizens to flee.
thisday