U.S. Embassy In Abuja Cancels Visa Appointments Amid Fears Of Protests

The United States Embassy in Nigeria has heightened security measures in the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday, cancelling all visa appointments and urging American citizens to remain indoors due to the high potential for protests linked to escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities and the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In a security alert published on its official channels, the embassy stated: “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.

“Previous protests by some groups have resulted in violent clashes between the group and Nigerian security forces.”

The alert references the risk of demonstrations organised by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), a Shiite organization that has previously held solidarity events for Iranian leadership.

Such gatherings have occasionally turned confrontational, including the deadly 2015 Zaria incident that resulted in several casualties according to human rights reports.

The embassy has suspended all routine visa services scheduled for Wednesday, advising applicants to monitor updates for rescheduling.

American citizens in Abuja are encouraged to avoid large crowds, limit unnecessary travel, and exercise increased caution amid possible roadblocks, traffic disruptions, or confrontations involving security forces.

The protests appear to stem from recent joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets, which Iranian state media and international reports confirm resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Khamenei, along with other senior officials. The strikes mark a major escalation in long-standing tensions between Washington, Tel Aviv, and 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. Authoritors and observers have warned of the potential for escalation in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

No major incidents had been reported in the capital as at the time of this report.