Hours after the US government directed its non-essential workers to leave Nigeria, the US embassy suspended visa appointments at its Abuja office.
The embassy, in a post on X, directed applicants to be on the lookout for new appointment dates without specifying how long the embassy in Abuja is likely to remain closed.
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“US Embassy Abuja is closed for visa appointments. Applicants should check their email for details on rescheduled appointments,” the post read.
It, however, noted that visa operations at the “US Consulate General Lagos continue.”
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The embassy stated that services remain open to American citizens in Abuja.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the US had asked its citizens not to travel to Nigeria. It also asked its non-essential workers to leave Nigeria.
The US State Department described Nigeria as unsafe. It also described armed robbery, kidnapping, assault, and roadside banditry as violent crimes that are common across the country.
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It also declared that “it authorised non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to leave the US Embassy Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation.”
PREMIUM TIMES reports that Nigeria faces several security crises with various armed groups operating in different parts of the country. Armed groups, including terrorists, have carried out attacks in several states, including Katsina, Sokoto, Borno, Plateau and Benue, killing thousands of people annually and displacing many more.
The Nigerian government has, however, countered the US advisory.
Rabiu Ibrahim, a spokesperson to Nigeria’s Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, described the advisory as unbalanced.
READ ALSO: Court jails suspects for terrorism in mass trial in Abuja
He also stated that the government is currently recording measurable gains in security operations across multiple states.
He noted the country is making “coordinated military efforts, intelligence-led interventions, and strengthened inter-agency collaboration.”
“These efforts continue to reduce threats in affected areas while sustaining stability in the majority of the country.
“We encourage our international partners to continuously engage with Nigerian authorities to obtain a more comprehensive and current understanding of the situation on the ground,” Mr Ibrahim wrote in a statement posted on X on Thursday.
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