Nigerian security officials say they have thwarted a plan by terror group Boko Haram to attack the British and U.S. embassies in the capital.
Nigeria's Department of State Services says it arrested five Boko Haram members who plotted the attack late last month.
"The group had perfected plans to attack the UK and American Embassies and other Western interests in Abuja," authorities said in an emailed statement.
The DSS said a 20-year-old Boko Haram member arrested in the northeastern state of Yobe on March 22 confessed details of the planned attack. Five other suspected Islamist militants were arrested March 25 and 26 in Benue state.
Following the announcement, the British government expressed its gratitude for the support of Nigerian security officials.
"We are in regular contact with the Nigerian security authorities concerning potential threats to UK interests in Nigeria," according to a statement released Wednesday.
The U.S. embassy declined to comment on the situation. The State Department issued an updated travel warning to Nigeria April 5, warning that Boko Haram militants had targeted government installations and other venues in the past.
Boko Haram has killed at least 18,000 people since its insurgency began in 2009. It is not known how many Nigerian soldiers and civilians who fought alongside them have lost their lives.
