The United States (U.S.) has reacted to the growing insecurity in Nigeria especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, advising its citizens to limit or avoid movements in the high risk spots located in Abaji, Kwali, gwagwalada, Kuje, Kubwa, Bwari and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Risk and Strategic Management (RSM) had jointly produced an advisory on General Area Incident Map which asking their citizens to take responsibility for their security within Abuja.
USAID is an agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance.
The advisory illustrated “High-Risk Area” security ‘trends’ rather than specific historic incidents and noted that “security conditions in the represented areas are fluid, and as such new threats may emerge, or current threats may subside. This mapping is provided to assist knowledge led decision-making for risk management.”
Perhaps, envisaging that its advisory may be controversial especially within Nigeria’s defence and security circles, it said “USAID accepts no responsibility for the content of this report.”
In specific terms, the advisory for Abaji High-Risk Area warns that “A high risk of robberies and kidnap exists along the Abuja-Lokoja Road.”
It therefore recommended limiting or avoiding night movement along the highway. In the same vein, the advisory warns of the same level of “high risk of robberies, and kidnap exists along the Abaji-Toto Road,” advising the avoidance or limiting of all night movements on the route.
Also, the advisory warns that “a high risk of robberies exists in the Kurunduma Forest Reserve area” which lies between the Murtala Mohammed Expressway, Asokoro and African Independent Television.
For the Central Business District High-Risk Area, the advisory also warns that “high risk of robberies exists along the Olusegun Obasanjo Road.” It also warns that “a high risk of civil disorder exists in the Three Arms Zone axis” while “high risk of robberies exists in the Central Park axis.”
It therefore recommends limiting or avoiding night movement.
For the Garki area, the advisory also warns that “high risk of robberies, and civil disorder exists in the Durumi area” while it also warns that “a high risk of kidnap (one chance), and civil disorder exists at Area 3 junction.”
It also warns that “high risk of robberies, and civil disorder exists at the Gudu Electrical Parts Market while a high risk of robberies
exists at Apo Roundabout.
The report also alerts of high risk of robberies and civil disorder at the Kabusa Market area, a high risk of robberies and kidnap exists in the PENGASSAN Estate and the Panteka Market areas.
The reports notes that the same security situation of of high risk of robberies and kidnap exists in the Trademore Estate axis and the Lugbe area.
For the Maitama highbrow district, the report warns of high risk of robberies and kidnap (one chance) in the Banex area while that a high risk of civil disorder exists at the Unity Fountain area.
It also advises limiting or avoiding any movement to Bwari expressway, the Nigerian law School axis and the Zuma Rock area because of “high risk of robberies and kidnap.”
The same situation, it warned, also exists in the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital axis and along the Kaduna – Lokoja Road.
In Kuje, it listed the areas with preponderance of high risk of robberies and kidnap as areas along the Pegi Road, Nigerian Prisons Service and Kuchiyako.
In Kwali, the report said the same high risk of robberies and kidnap exists at the National Mathematical Centre and along the Lokoja-Abaji-Dawaliko Road.