The US and the UK have warned their people to “avoid all non-essential travel or movement” to Nigeria over the risk of terror attacks in Nigeria.
BBC News reported that the US embassy in Abuja said there was a long list of potential targets, including:
Government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, athletic gatherings, transport terminals, law enforcement facilities, and international organizations.
The US also said Abuja is at special risk of being attacked.
In a security notice, the embassy told people to stay alert and avoid crowds to keep safe.
Meanwhile, the UK government warned that “attacks could be indiscriminate and could affect western interests, as well as places visited by tourists”.
Nigeria is facing rising insecurity. Back in July, more than 400 prisoners went missing after a prison break which Islamist militants claimed responsibility for.
At the time Defence Minister Bashir Magashi told reporters that 64 jailed jihadists had escaped from the prison.
The government of outgoing President Buhari is facing increasing criticism for its failure to tackle the country’s widespread insecurity with armed kidnapping gangs and militant groups unleashing violence.
Just last week, the First Lady apologised in an interview with the BBC, saying that her husband’s administration tried their best, but may not have lived up to what people expected.
Following his victory in Nigeria’s presidential election in 2015, General Muhammadu Buhari singled out the threat of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram as the biggest problem facing the country.
Gen Buhari, who was a former military ruler, said he needed the cooperation of other countries to tackle Boko Haram more quickly.
Boko Haram continues to be a threat to the West African country.