US closes Abuja embassy, reschedules appointments over protest fears

US Embassy in Abuja

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The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced the temporary closure of its embassy in Abuja for routine business, citing potential protests in the nation’s capital.n

In a notice shared via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, the Mission stated that the embassy will remain closed until Monday, March 9, 2026.n

The statement read, “Due to the potential for protests in Abuja, the U.S. Embassy will be closed for routine business until Monday, March 9, 2026.n

“Visa appointments originally scheduled for March 4 and 5, as well as American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments scheduled for March 5, have been rescheduled to next week.”

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“Visa applicants: Please check your email or AVITs account for your new appointment date. ACS applicants: Please check your email for your new appointment date,” the Mission advised.n

The Mission further instructed visa applicants who do not receive a new appointment to seek assistance through the Visa Navigator platform and urged the public to monitor its official website and social media channels for further updates.n

This announcement follows a report by PUNCH Online on Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy had initially cancelled visa appointments for March 4 due to similar security concerns regarding planned demonstrations in Abuja due to the current conflict with Iran.

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The closure reportedly follows a heavy deployment of security agencies across Abuja on Wednesday over a possible protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria after similar protests were recorded in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.n

The IMN was reported to have defended the actions as a peaceful expression of solidarity with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.n

In a notice shared via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, the Mission stated that the embassy will remain closed until Monday, March 9, 2026.n

The statement read, “Due to the potential for protests in Abuja, the U.S. Embassy will be closed for routine business until Monday, March 9, 2026.n

“Visa appointments originally scheduled for March 4 and 5, as well as American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments scheduled for March 5, have been rescheduled to next week.”

nn

“Visa applicants: Please check your email or AVITs account for your new appointment date. ACS applicants: Please check your email for your new appointment date,” the Mission advised.n

The Mission further instructed visa applicants who do not receive a new appointment to seek assistance through the Visa Navigator platform and urged the public to monitor its official website and social media channels for further updates.n

This announcement follows a report by PUNCH Online on Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy had initially cancelled visa appointments for March 4 due to similar security concerns regarding planned demonstrations in Abuja due to the current conflict with Iran.

n

The closure reportedly follows a heavy deployment of security agencies across Abuja on Wednesday over a possible protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria after similar protests were recorded in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.n

The IMN was reported to have defended the actions as a peaceful expression of solidarity with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.n

The statement read, “Due to the potential for protests in Abuja, the U.S. Embassy will be closed for routine business until Monday, March 9, 2026.n

“Visa appointments originally scheduled for March 4 and 5, as well as American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments scheduled for March 5, have been rescheduled to next week.”

nn

“Visa applicants: Please check your email or AVITs account for your new appointment date. ACS applicants: Please check your email for your new appointment date,” the Mission advised.n

The Mission further instructed visa applicants who do not receive a new appointment to seek assistance through the Visa Navigator platform and urged the public to monitor its official website and social media channels for further updates.n

This announcement follows a report by PUNCH Online on Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy had initially cancelled visa appointments for March 4 due to similar security concerns regarding planned demonstrations in Abuja due to the current conflict with Iran.

n

The closure reportedly follows a heavy deployment of security agencies across Abuja on Wednesday over a possible protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria after similar protests were recorded in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.n

The IMN was reported to have defended the actions as a peaceful expression of solidarity with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.n

“Visa appointments originally scheduled for March 4 and 5, as well as American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments scheduled for March 5, have been rescheduled to next week.”

nn

“Visa applicants: Please check your email or AVITs account for your new appointment date. ACS applicants: Please check your email for your new appointment date,” the Mission advised.n

The Mission further instructed visa applicants who do not receive a new appointment to seek assistance through the Visa Navigator platform and urged the public to monitor its official website and social media channels for further updates.n

This announcement follows a report by PUNCH Online on Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy had initially cancelled visa appointments for March 4 due to similar security concerns regarding planned demonstrations in Abuja due to the current conflict with Iran.

n

The closure reportedly follows a heavy deployment of security agencies across Abuja on Wednesday over a possible protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria after similar protests were recorded in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.n

The IMN was reported to have defended the actions as a peaceful expression of solidarity with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.n

“Visa applicants: Please check your email or AVITs account for your new appointment date. ACS applicants: Please check your email for your new appointment date,” the Mission advised.n

The Mission further instructed visa applicants who do not receive a new appointment to seek assistance through the Visa Navigator platform and urged the public to monitor its official website and social media channels for further updates.n

This announcement follows a report by PUNCH Online on Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy had initially cancelled visa appointments for March 4 due to similar security concerns regarding planned demonstrations in Abuja due to the current conflict with Iran.

n

The closure reportedly follows a heavy deployment of security agencies across Abuja on Wednesday over a possible protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria after similar protests were recorded in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.n

The IMN was reported to have defended the actions as a peaceful expression of solidarity with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.n

The Mission further instructed visa applicants who do not receive a new appointment to seek assistance through the Visa Navigator platform and urged the public to monitor its official website and social media channels for further updates.n

This announcement follows a report by PUNCH Online on Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy had initially cancelled visa appointments for March 4 due to similar security concerns regarding planned demonstrations in Abuja due to the current conflict with Iran.

n

The closure reportedly follows a heavy deployment of security agencies across Abuja on Wednesday over a possible protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria after similar protests were recorded in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.n

The IMN was reported to have defended the actions as a peaceful expression of solidarity with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.n

This announcement follows a report by PUNCH Online on Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy had initially cancelled visa appointments for March 4 due to similar security concerns regarding planned demonstrations in Abuja due to the current conflict with Iran.

n

The closure reportedly follows a heavy deployment of security agencies across Abuja on Wednesday over a possible protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria after similar protests were recorded in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.n

The IMN was reported to have defended the actions as a peaceful expression of solidarity with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.n

The closure reportedly follows a heavy deployment of security agencies across Abuja on Wednesday over a possible protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria after similar protests were recorded in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.n

The IMN was reported to have defended the actions as a peaceful expression of solidarity with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.n

The IMN was reported to have defended the actions as a peaceful expression of solidarity with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.n

Deborah, with nearly two years of media experience, reports human interest stories with a foundation in metro reporting.

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This article originally appeared on Punch Nigeria