In a notice on its website, the US government advised its citizens to avoid political rallies as “they can turn violent with little or no notice”.
In the notice titled ‘Security Alert — Possible Protests Leading to Elections and Restricted Movements on Election Days’, the embassy asked its citizens to be alert to information from the Nigerian government.
The notice read: “The Government of Nigeria will restrict the movement of all personal vehicles on election days across the country. Information from the Government of Nigeria indicates that only law enforcement personnel and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)-accredited election observers will be allowed to move freely along the roads.
Based on past election practice, we anticipate personal vehicles will be blocked from any and all attempted road movement from 00:00 until 18:00 February 25 and 00:00 until 18:00 March 11.
Please be advised that movement restrictions may be extended at any time. Be alert to Government of Nigeria information about the restrictions.”
The embassy also urged the US citizens in Nigeria to “Have three days of food and water in your residence in case movement restrictions are extended beyond Election Day; Have a pre-packed bag that contains your travel documents, medications, toiletries, cash, and clothes in case you need to relocate from your residence; Avoid large crowds; Be aware of your surroundings; Keep a low profile; Carry proper identification; Review your personal security plans; Keep your cell phone charged in case of emergency; Monitor local media for updates.
