Memo by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) about possible Boko Haram attacks has unsettled residents.
Copies of the letter with reference number FCTA/SSD/S.781/VOL 1 and entitled “Forwarding of Intelligence” circulated in Abuja last night.
The letter was addressed to the National Presidents of Jaamatu Nasril Islam (JNI), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the General Manager of the Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML).
It was also copied to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Permanent Secretary of Federal Capital Territory Authority and the Acting Secretary, Area Councils’ Services Secretariat.
The letter reads: “Intelligence reaching this office revealed that insurgents are planning to attack the Federal Capital Territory.
“Their main targets are worship centres and markets with the use of young girls as members of groups to carry out their planned attacks.
“It is in view of the foregoing, I am directed to inform you to communicate the content of this letter to all mosques, churches and markets across the FCT for extra-vigilance, particularly unknown persons dressing as aid workers loitering around the worship areas and markets.
“The Nigerian Police has made available, contact numbers to report any suspicious persons or movement. These are: 09063872207, 09053872208 and 09053872209.
“Please give the content of this letter the widest and fastest circulation to enable our worshippers to be vigilant and curb the menace of insurgency in the territory and beyond,” the letter stated.
Explaining the memo’s source to The Nation on Saturday, Alhaji Adamu Gwari, the Deputy Director of Federal Capital Territory Authority’s Security Services Department said the letter was “based on intelligence that those insurgents have new methods of operation whereby they use young girls posing as members of aid groups.”
He said: “We are informing members of the public that the method of the operation is based on intelligence received that they would be targeting worship places and markets.
“So, we decided to inform the most important bodies, that is, the two religious bodies and the General Manager of Abuja Market Management Limited so that they can give the content of the letter the widest circulation.
“In the letter, you can see that we specified the possible use of young girls as members of aid groups; we had to intimate the religious bodies so that they can know or monitor those whom they deploy to their worship places. It is based on the intelligence we received that we decided that members of the public should be told to be vigilant about that particular group of people.
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