Boko Haram: Police, NIS, Correctional Service Heighten Security Over Attack Plot

Security agencies have heightened surveillance and reinforced key facilities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following intelligence reports of a suspected insurgent plot targeting critical infrastructure.

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According to The PidomNigeria, the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, and Nigerian Correctional Service confirmed on Thursday that proactive measures have been implemented to secure airports and custodial centres.

The development follows an internal memo attributed to the Nigeria Customs Service, which warned of planned attacks by insurgent groups.

According to the report, terrorists are targeting the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and the Kuje Custodial Centre, as well as a detention facility in Niger State.

The memo dated 13 April, 2026 and signed by Timi Bomodi, a Deputy Comptroller General in charge of the Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation unit, stated that the terrorists are also targeting a military detention facility in Wawa, Niger State.

The memo indicated that groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansaru, and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen may be involved.

The two-page document claimed the ISWAP fighters have already infiltrated the FCT in preparation for the attack on the airport and Kuje prison in a move to release detained insurgents.

Security analysts noted similarities between the alleged plot and previous attacks in neighbouring Niger Republic, particularly on aviation facilities in Niamey and Tahoua.

Nigeria has also experienced similar incidents in the past, including the 2022 attack on Kuje prison, where dozens of detainees were freed.

Three months later, in October 2022, terrorists attempted to breach the Wawa Cantonment in Borgu LGA of Niger State in a bid to free detained insurgents, though the assault was repelled and several attackers killed or arrested.

The Sadiku Boko Haram faction, which operates alongside Ansaru and JNIM in the vicinity of Kainji Lake National Park, moved from Shiroro LGA in Niger State to the Kainji axis in July 2025, where it kidnapped more than 300 students and staff at St. Mary’s Catholic school in Papiri.

The spokesperson for the airport police command, Adeola Muhammed, said security architecture at the airport has been strengthened.

“The command is always aware of potential security threats, and we are prepared to scale up measures as the situation demands

,” he said.

He added that multiple layers of screening and intelligence-sharing mechanisms are in place to detect suspicious activities.

“There is effective collaboration between all security agencies when it comes to intelligence sharing, and as a result, the command is, and will always remain a step ahead of any threat,” he stated.

The Nigeria Immigration Service said it has intensified monitoring across its facilities in the FCT.

Its spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, expressed confidence that security agencies are responding effectively to the threat.

Speaking to The PidomNigeria in Abuja on Thursday, Akinlabi said, “We are sure the police are handling this threat already, and a section of the army too.’’

Similarly, the Nigerian Correctional Service said custodial centres nationwide have been placed on high alert.

“We want to assure Nigerians that our facilities in Abuja and other states are on high alert. We have taken proactive steps. We also want to assure Nigerians not to panic; they should go about their lawful activities without fear or apprehension,” spokesperson Jane Osuji said.

Security experts have urged authorities to take intelligence reports seriously, warning that previous attacks occurred despite early warnings.

They also cautioned against concentrating security efforts solely in Abuja, noting that neighbouring states such as Niger and Kogi remain vulnerable to infiltration.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 744 former insurgents and victims of violent extremism have graduated from the Federal Government’s de-radicalisation programme under Operation Safe Corridor.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, described the initiative as a strategic approach to addressing the root causes of insurgency.

“This is not a reward but a deliberate strategy to reduce violence and promote long-term stability,” he said.