The US shuts its Abuja embassy and reschedules appointments amid concerns over possible protests.

The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced the temporary closure of the U.S. Embassy Abuja for routine services, citing concerns about possible protests in the nation’s capital.

In a notice posted on its official account on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, the mission said the embassy would remain closed for routine business until Monday, March 9, 2026.

The statement explained that visa appointments scheduled for March 4 and 5, along with American Citizen Services appointments set for March 5, had been moved to new dates next week.

Applicants seeking visas were advised to check their email or their AVITS account for updated appointment details, while those with American Citizen Services appointments were also urged to review their email notifications for rescheduling information.

The mission added that visa applicants who do not receive a new appointment date should request assistance through the Visa Navigator platform and encouraged the public to monitor its official website and social media channels for further updates.

The development follows earlier reports that visa appointments scheduled for March 4 had been cancelled due to security concerns linked to planned demonstrations in Abuja amid tensions related to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

Security agencies were reportedly heavily deployed across Abuja on Wednesday over the possibility of protests by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria. Similar demonstrations had previously taken place in states including Niger State, Sokoto State, Kaduna State, Yobe State, Bauchi State, Gombe State, and Lagos State.

The group was reported to have described the demonstrations as a peaceful show of solidarity with Iran following reports about the death of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the United States and Israel.