The United Nations has warned that Boko Haram insurgents
could exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to carry out attacks in parts of Nigeria.
In its newly released security threat information and
advisory, the United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS),
however, said the attacks could be prevented if adequate measures are in place.
UNDSS said intelligence shows such attacks could be
coordinated in areas the group operate in with the use of improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) targeting critical national infrastructure.
It said in addition to weakening the government’s efforts
against insecurity, the group may seek to distract military activities in the
north-east and gain wider acceptance.
“It is assessed that we are at the beginning of the security
crisis characterised by a wide spectrum of interconnected crisis (civil unrest,
crime and the increasing threat of terrorism), that were fuming for quite some
time and now released by COVID-19 impact on the government and population,” the
report obtained by THISDAY read.
“In this context, the critical infrastructure are considered
any of economic or security entities and their premises (petrol industry
installations, banks, governmental facilities, shopping malls, hotels, etc), at
any location in the country, especially state capitals, including Lagos and
Abuja.
“Though the UN in Nigeria is not the primary target for the
terrorist activity, it is assessed that the UN can be impacted as collaterally
(while visiting governmental installations, banks, shopping malls, e.t.c.), but
also as the target of opportunity, if seen to be less protected (‘soft
target’).”
To forestall the attacks, the UNDSS recommended that
security risk management measures in Nigeria must be urgently reviewed and
fully implemented.
President Muhammadu Buhari had warned that Boko Haram might
strike amid the pandemic, but added that Nigeria remains vigilant.
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