The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has said the United States is reducing its embassy staff in Nigeria over fears of possible attacks linked to tensions involving Iran.
Akpabio made the remark during the inauguration of the new headquarters of the National Assembly Service Commission in Abuja, where he addressed concerns about reports of foreign missions scaling down operations in the country.
According to him, the development is not peculiar to Nigeria, but part of broader global security precautions being taken by some countries.
“Some people say that even now that some embassies are closing down. Not many embassies are closing down. Many of the embassies are afraid of repercussions from their foes,” he said.
He added, “For instance, I can say that America is a bit worried about the bomb blast from Iran, and so across the world, they have to reduce their staff in case Iran decides to attack their embassies.
Akpabio dismissed suggestions that the situation was linked to Nigeria’s political climate or the forthcoming elections, insisting that diplomatic missions were acting based on international security considerations.
“When people are thinking, oh, Nigeria’s embassies are closing because the election is coming. It’s not because the election is coming.
“The election will come and go, and God will protect you. God will protect Nigeria. Nigeria will outlive this election,” he added.
Recall that the US Department of State authorised non-emergency US government employees and their family members to leave the US Embassy in Abuja, citing a deteriorating security situation across Nigeria.
In an updated travel advisory issued on last week Wednesday, the department noted that, starting April 8, 2026, Americans are advised to reconsider travel to the country due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest.
The advisory classified the overall travel advisory for Nigeria as “Level 3: Reconsider Travel,” while some states are at “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”
Watch the video below:
𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐔𝐒 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭, 𝐒𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐀𝐤𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐨
Credit: X | ARISEtv
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Hannah Johnson is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over three years of professional experience in reporting, storytelling, and digital content creation. She blends traditional reporting skills with a modern, digital-first approach to journalism, producing content tailored for both web and social platforms. Hannah is skilled at turning complex topics into clear, engaging, and relatable stories that resonate with a wide audience. Her work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a strong commitment to accurate, audience-focused journalism.
