U.S issues ‘elevated threat’ alert on major Nigerian hotels over Naik’s presence

[By VICTOR NZE]

United States Government, through its State Department and Mission, has warned its citizens to avoid lodging in major hotels in Nigeria over what it described as ‘elevated threat’ posed to them at these hospitality establishments.

The Unites States Government asked its citizens to avoid lodging in notable hotels, especially the internationally-branded facilities in Nigeria.

Nigeria is host to nearly 20 international brands, including the Marriott Hotel Group operated hotels such as; Protea, Four Points by Sheraton, and Sheraton chains, Radisson Blu, Ibis, Intercontinental, among others,

In a terse notice titled; ‘Security Alert: Elevated threat to major hotels in Nigeria’s larger cities,’ posted on the United States Mission in Nigeria website, Friday, the U.S State Department raised its security warning on these hotels, even as the immediate reason for such action was not disclosed in the statement.

“The U.S. Government is aware of credible information that there is an elevated threat to major hotels in Nigeria’s larger cities. The Nigerian security services are working diligently to counter the threat.

“The U.S. Department of State advises U.S. citizens to consider this information when arranging lodging or visiting major hotels in Nigeria,” the notice read.

The State Department subsequently asked its citizens lodging at the major hotels to ‘exercise vigilance at major hotels; Be alert to your surroundings; Keep a low profile; Review the Travel Advisory for Nigeria,’ just as it advised them to seek assistance at the embassy in Abuja or its consulate in Lagos.

However, analysts believe the warning may not be unconnected with the Israel –Hamas war in Gaza, the Palestine, which has claimed nearly 10, 000 lives on both sides.

The United States has expressed its unflinching support for Israel in its quest to root out the Hamas terror organisation from Gaza since the October 7 invasion by the terror group which resulted in the death of nearly 1, 500 Israelis, with the abduction of about 300 following suit by the attackers from Gaza.

Israel has been on the offensive since then as it seeks to flush out the Hamas group from their base in Gaza.

United States acknowledges that Nigeria habours pro-Palestine and pro-Hamas sentiments, especially in the northern regions of the country.

The latest U.S travel advisory may also not be unconnected with the visit to Nigeria of renowned Indian-born Islamic preacher, Dr Zakir Naik, who is renowned as ‘hate’ cleric.

Dr Zakir Naik, who arrived in Nigeria, last week, as guest of the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, has been touring Nigeria across formations of the Nigerian Army, Air force and Nigerian Immigration Service as part of his stay in the country.

Only Sunday, November 5, the cleric delivered a lecture at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, Sunday, and before then, last Thursday, attended the 10th Sheikh Usman bin Fordiyo Week which ended, last Thursday.

It is believed that the presence of the cleric may have prompted the United States Government to raise the travel advisory to its citizens.

Indian prosecutors had earlier in the year charged the controversial preacher Islamic Naik with money laundering.

Naik, who lives in exile, is accused of acquiring $28m worth of criminal assets, a claim he denies.

Indian authorities have also accused him of spreading hate speech and inciting terrorism.

Naik, 53, promotes a radical form of Islam on the channel Peace TV. It is banned in India but has an estimated 200 million viewers worldwide.

Broadcasting from Dubai, Peace TV is owned by the Islamic Research Foundation, a group headed by Mr Naik.

Other countries have banned the channel – including Bangladesh, where it is accused of inspiring one of the gunmen behind a 2016 cafe attack in Dhaka in which 22 people were killed.

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED), which investigates financial crimes, filed the charges against Mr Naik in a court in Mumbai on Thursday.

It told the court that it had identified assets worth millions of dollars as proceeds of crime.

Naik’s “inflammatory speeches and lectures have inspired and incited a number of Muslim youths in India to commit unlawful activities and terrorist acts”, ED told the court.

The agency has accused him of using funds from “dubious or suspicious sources” to buy property in India and finance events where he made “provocative speeches”.

Naik’s fundamentalist approach to religion has long been controversial.

Many detained al-Qaeda followers have reportedly told officials that he was a huge influence on them.

He was banned from entering the UK in 2010 for “unacceptable behaviour”, and because of his speeches, by then-home secretary (and now Prime Minister) Theresa May.

However, it was in July 2016 when he really came to international attention, after a deadly attack on the Holey Artisan cafe in Dhaka.

The Bangladeshi media claimed that one of the gunmen had been inspired by his speeches. Later that month the Bangladeshi government banned Peace TV.

In November 2016, India’s counterterrorism agency filed an official complaint against Mr Naik, accusing him of promoting religious hatred and unlawful activity.

Naik moved to Malaysia in 2017.

Meanwhile, in Nigeria, outrage had trailed the decision by the Sultan of Sokoto to invite the controversial preacher into the country, even as spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Arindam Bagchi,  had disclosed in March 2023, that the government was working with Oman authorities to extradite Naik

The Sultan of Sokoto  invited him to tour and hold lectures in three Nigerian cities- Sokoto, Abuja, and Ilorin, for four days, alongside his son, Dr. Zakir Naik.

Naik reportedly first came into the Indian government radar in 2016 when one of the suspects behind the attack in Dhaka, which resulted in the deaths of 22 people, said the preacher’s teachings spurred him to kill people.

The Indian government also declared him wanted for money laundering and inciting hate and India’s counter-terrorism agency filed a complaint against him for promoting religious intolerance and “other unlawful activities.