The United States Embassy in Abuja yesterday issued a security alert to its citizens in Nigeria to heighten vigilance as the US-Israel war on Iran escalates.

It warned US citizens of a possible terrorist threat against US facilities and US-affiliated schools in the country President Bola Tinubu, at the inception of the war, which consumed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day (February 28), urged the warring sides to avoid actions that are likely to intensify hostilities, stressing that this could have “potentially grave consequences for regional and global stability”.

With Iran extending its attacks on Western interests beyond Israel and the Gulf states, the alert cites the possibility of retaliatory attacks on Western interests in Nigeria following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian assets. The embassy warned that the evolving security situation could affect travel and personal safety, including possible disruptions to air travel.

The security alert said: “The Embassy recommends that US citizens take additional precautions when traveling to the US Embassy, the US Consulate General in Lagos, and US-affiliated schools, to include varying times and routes.

“Increasing awareness of your surroundings, avoiding predictable routines, and reviewing general security precautions with your family can help reduce your risk.” The US Embassy in Oslo was hit by a loud explosion early on Sunday in what may have been a deliberate attack linked to the crisis in the Middle East.

Norwegian police said: “It’s natural to see this in the context of the current security situation and that this could be an attack deliberately targeting the US Embassy.” The war in Iran rubbed off on Azerbaijan last week as four drones were launched across the Iranian border into the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.