How strange ‘Passport with White Powder’ Led to Shutdown of US Embassy’s Abuja Consular Section

The embassy announced the shutdown in a statement on its website on Tuesday — a day after one of its staff opened a passport for processing and discovered a sizeable portion of powder in it. The development sparked huge concerns about the potential damage to the staff member who opened the substance, and to others who may have been exposed to the substance.

A highly placed diplomatic source who confirmed the story to SaharaReporters said the embassy shut down the section to test the powder and to quarantine staff of the section.

The staffs of the section were not allowed to leave work with their gadgets on that day, SaharaReporters understands.

Attempts to confirm the report from staff of the embassy proved abortive, as two staff contacted by SaharaReporters both declined to comment, saying all staff had been vehemently warned not to utter a word on it. Even the Public Relations Department of the embassy would make no comment on it as well, we were told.

SaharaReporters was told the quarantining period will be over very soon and the consular section will be reopened sometime next week, “likely anytime from Tuesday August 21”.

IN the statement announcing the temporary shutdown, the embassy had said “American citizens in northern Nigeria with urgent travel needs who are travelling before Tuesday and who are willing to re-schedule their travel through Lagos should contact the ACS office at Consulate Lagos ( 01460 3400 and LagosACS@state.gov) to discuss their options”.

This, according to the source, “is one hint that Tuesday is the target for resumption of operations”.

-SaharaReporters

How strange ‘Passport with White Powder’ Led to Shutdown of US Embassy’s Abuja Consular Section