A former Deputy Director of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree

A former Deputy Director of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has stated that the recent security advisory issued by the United States to its citizens in Nigeria is not merely speculative, but based on concrete intelligence.

Speaking on The Morning Brief on Channels Television, Amachree addressed public concerns and official reactions to the advisory. He emphasized that such warnings from the U.S. government are rarely unfounded, as they are typically drawn from credible intelligence sources, both from within the host country and through international collaborations.

“The U.S. doesn’t issue advisories just to scare people. These are usually intelligence-based assessments,” Amachree said during the interview.

The U.S. Embassy in Abuja had recently warned American citizens of potential threats in Nigeria, urging them to avoid certain areas and remain vigilant. While the Nigerian government has often dismissed such alerts in the past as exaggerated or damaging to national image, security analysts argue that they can offer helpful insight into existing security lapses.

Amachree, who served in senior intelligence roles for decades, noted that international embassies usually maintain their own intelligence operations and often liaise closely with host country security agencies. He advised Nigerian authorities to treat such advisories as constructive and to investigate the underlying concerns rather than dismiss them outright.

His comments come amid heightened insecurity in parts of the country, including kidnappings, insurgent activities, and targeted attacks in urban centers.