SSS Confirms Raiding Abuja Estate, Debunks Operation with American Soldiers

Nigerian secret police on Friday confirmed that it raided an estate in Abuja, the capital city on Thursday.

The State Security Service (SSS) in a statement by its spokesman Peter Afunanya, however, denied working with American soldiers during the raid.

A section of Nigerian media on Thursday reported that American soldiers with Nigerian operatives arrested suspected terrorists at the TradeMoore estate in Lugbe, Abuja on Monday.

The media report attributed to an official of the estate said United States forces were at the operation but the SSS said the claim is not true.

“I can categorically tell you that we did not carry out any joint operation with American Soldiers as being widely reported in the media,” Afunanya said.

“Though we carried out an operation in an Abuja Estate with sister agencies, no foreign troops were involved.”

The Nigeria secret police raid came days after the United States Embassy issued a travel advisory with an alert to a possible terror attack on Abuja.

Since the advisory by the US and UK governments, there has been increased security presence in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. Security operatives carried out random checks of homes and cars in some parts of the city including the popular TradeMoore estate in Lugbe.

The Nigerian government on Wednesday insisted that the country including the capital Abuja is safe for citizens and foreigners, contrary to an advisory by the US and UK governments.

Nigeria’s information and culture minister Lai Mohammed criticised the updated advisory by the US government, saying each country has its security challenges.

“I want to reassure both citizens, non-Nigerians, Nigerians living in this country, that security agencies are on top of this matter,” Mohammed said. “Of course, the terrorists would not stop to try to embarrass or intimidate government but what I’m saying is that this country is safe. And there’s no cause for alarm. No cause to panic.”