The United States of America has warned its citizens in Nigeria of a plan by Islamic State and Boko Haram insurgent groups to disrupt the forthcoming 2019 general elections by carrying out attacks.
The US gave the warning in a statement published on its website on the 18th of January, 2019.
The alert read that the insurgent groups plan to attack public places and government infrastructures during the 2019 election.
The embassy, however, did not state whether such attacks were targeted at its embassy or not, but U.S. citizens in Nigeria should remember to follow personal security precautions on a regular basis.
The statement reads: “There is an increase in ISIS propaganda videos specifically directed to Nigeria and the ongoing civil unrest in Borno state and the Northeast
“ISIS West Africa (ISWA) and Boko Haram have both stated they plan to disrupt the upcoming 2019 presidential elections by conducting attacks on Nigerian Security and infrastructure, as well as places of gathering such as markets, hotels, and malls
“While we have no specific threat information to the U.S. Embassy or within Nigeria during the election season, U.S. citizens in Nigeria should remember to follow personal security precautions on a regular basis
“ US citizens should avoid crowds and demonstrations, keep a low profile and to stay alert in public places, including schools, hospitals, government facilities, places of worship, tourist locations, and transportation hubs.”
The embassy further urged its citizens to carry proper identification, including a US passport with a current Nigerian visa, if needed and to exercise caution when walking or driving at night.
Meanwhile, gunmen, said to be in their hundreds, have attacked Bare, a community in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State, reportedly razing houses and structures, including a Catholic seminary there.
Witnesses said the attackers were herdsmen, and that this latest incident would be a continuation of past similar attacks over grazing land that made many residents to leave the community.
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Yola, Stephen Mamza said nothing of the identities of the attackers but confirmed
the destruction of the Catholic Seminary, and said security agents did not respond on time to save the day.
The bishop, who is also the Adamawa State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said he had been duly informed that the invaders stormed the community in their hundreds and operated for several hours without restraint.
He said, “Our reverend father’s house was burnt and there’s no house around that area that is standing now. They have burnt all the houses. All my parishioners have left. Nobody can live there.”
Mamza said the incident was most unfortunate because after a previous attack and people ran away, many of them had returned and rebuilt their houses, but that “the people are now back to square one because their houses have been destroyed completely.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in Adamawa State, Othman Abubakar, said the attackers burnt down several houses, but did not confirm if the Catholic Seminary was among them.
He explained that the report before him did not indicate the identities of houses burnt, stressing that there was no human casualty.
“There was an attack with houses burnt down but there was no loss of lives. But so far we have deployed our men to restore normalcy,” the police spokesman said.
Also, less than 24 hours before President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign visit to Yobe, the 27 task force brigade in Buni Yadi, is currently under Boko Haram attack.
Buni yadi is also home to Nigerian Army Special Forces Training Schools.
A panic resident told our correspondent that the attackers arrived in 5 hilux vans laden with Anti Aircraft around 5:00pm and headed directly to the military location.
“I saw vehicles with Boko haram flags shooting sporadically and shouting “Allahu Akbar !” she said.
She said that her house and that of her neighbor were hit by bullets.
Another resident said the militants had engaged the army in serious gun dual but, there was aerial support by fighter jets in the town.
However, there’s been no statement from the military on the attack.