By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
Security forces placed on high alert following internal customs memo warning of coordinated attacks in Abuja and Niger State
Nigerian security forces have been placed on high alert following intelligence indicating that sleeper cells from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram are planning coordinated attacks on key infrastructure in the nation’s capital and neighboring Niger State, according to an internal customs memo reviewed by The Associated Press.
The classified document, dated April 13, identifies the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and an unnamed prison facility in Abuja as primary targets, alongside a military detention center in Niger State.
“Their intention is to release detained terrorists and inflict significant damage on critical aviation infrastructure,” the memo states.
The warning comes as Nigeria ranks fourth on the Global Terrorism Index released March 19, 2026, with the Institute for Economics and Peace reporting a 46 percent increase in terrorism-related deaths in 2025. According to the report, ISWAP and Boko Haram together account for 80 percent of all terrorism deaths in the country.
The customs memo draws direct parallels between the alleged plot and recent large-scale attacks on aviation facilities in Niger Republic, specifically in Niamey and Tahoua. On January 29, gunfire and explosions rocked Niamey’s international airport in what security sources described as a jihadist attack. Earlier this year, ISWAP also struck a Nigerien Air Force base in Niamey, wounding four soldiers and damaging an aircraft.
“An analysis of the report reveals a concerning correlation,” the memo continues. “This suggests a possible intent by terrorists to replicate the attack patterns within Nigeria.”
A senior customs officer, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity, confirmed that “military and paramilitary forces are all on high alert and ready to forestall the attack.”
However, when contacted for comment by Peoples Gazette, Customs Service spokesperson CSC Abdullahi Maiwada said he was unaware of the memo’s existence.
The intelligence warning follows a recent U.S. State Department authorization permitting non-emergency government employees and family members to evacuate the American embassy in Abuja, citing widespread insecurity. The Nigerian government dismissed the U.S. advisory.
