The United States Embassy in Nigeria suspended all visa appointment services in Abuja on Wednesday, citing the high likelihood of street protests against the United States over its military campaign in Iran, in a move that left hundreds of applicants scrambling to reschedule their appointments.
The warning comes four days after US-Israeli airstrikes targeted and killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an event that has triggered waves of solidarity demonstrations across multiple Nigerian cities and set nerves on edge in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Due to the potential for protests in Abuja, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja has cancelled all visa appointments on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Applicants will be contacted with information on how to reschedule,” the Embassy said in an official notice posted on its website and social media channels.
The cancellation was accompanied by a broader security alert directed at American citizens resident in the capital.
“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja informs U.S. citizens that there is a high potential for protests in Abuja today, March 4, 2026, due to the current conflict with Iran,” the notice stated. “Previous protests by some groups have resulted in violent clashes between the groups and Nigerian security forces. The Embassy strongly recommends that all U.S. citizens in Abuja remain in their residences on Wednesday, March 4.”
The reference to prior violent clashes points in large part to Nigeria’s Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), a Shia organisation with longstanding ties to Tehran. In the days leading up to March 4, members of the IMN and sympathetic groups staged demonstrations in several Nigerian cities, including peaceful protests in Yobe, Lagos, Kano, Sokoto, and other northern states, condemning the killing and expressing solidarity with Iran.
In Nigeria’s Yobe State, demonstrators marched through Potiskum and Nguru carrying Iranian flags and portraits of the late cleric.
Authorities and observers warned of the potential for similar gatherings to escalate in Abuja, though no major incidents had been reported in the capital as at the time of filing this report.
Despite the suspension of visa services, the Embassy was quick to clarify that its broader mission remained operational.
“The Consular Sections of Embassy Abuja and Consulate General Lagos remain open. Please monitor our website for updates,” the mission said.
Americans in Abuja were further advised to avoid protest areas and large gatherings, stay alert in shopping centres, cinemas and places of worship, keep mobile phones fully charged, carry valid identification at all times, and familiarise themselves with emergency exits upon entering any building.
The alert also came against a hardening diplomatic backdrop. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed Iran’s overtures for talks, writing on Truth Social: “Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said ‘Too Late!'”
The closure of visa services in Abuja is a significant disruption for thousands of Nigerians who apply annually for U.S. visas, with the Abuja mission handling a large share of the country’s visa processing load. The Embassy said affected applicants would be contacted directly with information on rescheduling.
For emergency assistance, the Embassy directed citizens to call +234 209 461 4328 or visit its official website at ng.usembassy.gov.
— ANN/Angel Network News
