Nigeria’s security agencies have been placed on heightened alert following intelligence warnings of a coordinated attack by suspected Islamist militants targeting key infrastructure in the Federal Capital Territory and parts of Niger State.

According to an internal security memo reportedly circulated within the Nigeria Customs Service and obtained by The Associated Press, the planned targets include the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, a correctional facility in Abuja, and a military detention centre in neighbouring Niger State.

The memo, dated April 13, indicated that the objective of the alleged attacks is to breach secured facilities, free detained insurgents, and inflict damage on critical national infrastructure, particularly aviation assets.

Security analysis in the document drew comparisons with recent coordinated militant attacks in Niger Republic, where air force installations were targeted in cities such as Niamey and Tahoua.

It also referenced previous incidents in Nigeria, including the 2022 prison break linked to Islamic State West Africa Province, in which hundreds of inmates escaped.

Intelligence assessments suggest that sleeper cells affiliated with Boko Haram and ISWAP may be involved, raising concerns over possible simultaneous attacks on multiple locations.

While authorities, including the military and customs service, have yet to issue an official statement, security personnel have reportedly been placed on standby as a precaution.

Nigeria continues to grapple with a complex security landscape, particularly in the north, where insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping-for-ransom remain persistent threats.

The development comes amid heightened international concern, with the United States Government recently authorising the voluntary departure of non-emergency diplomatic staff from its embassy in Abuja, citing increased risks of terrorism and violent crime.

Nigerian authorities, however, have described the move as a routine precaution that does not reflect the overall security situation in the country. (The Guardian, but headline reworked)