US suspends consular services in Abuja indefinitely

The United States Embassy has announced the temporary suspension of its consular services in Abuja until further notice. The US embassy disclosed this in a statement made available on Wednesday but did not give reason for the abrupt decision.

According to the U.S, the embassy will temporarily be unable to provide regular services for visa and American Citizen Services in Abuja.

However, the embassy said that consular functions at the US Consulate in Lagos are not affected and will continue to function, urging people to go to Lagos.

The statement reads in part, “Due to reasons beyond our control, we are temporarily unable to provide regular services for visa and American Citizen Services in Abuja, but other offices within the Embassy remain open.

“Please note that consular functions at the US Consulate Lagos are not affected and will continue. Until further notice, applicants are encouraged to contact the Consular Office in Lagos for immediate emergency travel.”

The US embassy further disclosed that scheduled visa and ACS applicants for Abuja would be contacted for rescheduling.

The US embassy advised American citizens in Nigeria’s northern region with emergency services should contact the after-hours emergency number for Abuja on “09461-4000 and press ‘0’ to go to the operator to request assistance”.

It also asked American citizens in the northern part of the country with urgent travel needs, who were travelling before Tuesday and were willing to reschedule their travel through Lagos to contact the ACS office at Consulate Lagos via ‘01460 3400 and LagosACS@state.gov’, to discuss their options.

“Those travelling after Tuesday should follow up with Abuja ACS to confirm their appointments closer to their scheduled date,” it added.

The embassy urged those willing to travel to the US to monitor its Facebook handle and webpage for a later announcement of resumed consular operations in the nation’s capital, Abuja.