The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has ordered state commissioners of police and assistant inspector-generals of police (AIGs) to beef-up security across the country ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Idris also directed the AIGs and CPs to re-gird crime prevention and detection strategies and measures to ensure adequate security throughout the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Similarly the IGP has warned police personel against engaging in any partisan politics.
Idris, who made this known in a statement at the weekend, also ordered a security threat assessment as well as deployment of police personnel to flashpoints and vulnerable areas to prevent and nip in the bud any form of inter-party friction, political thuggery and clashes that could lead to disturbance of public peace anywhere in the country during the election rallies.
The statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, advised all political parties to “abide by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and INEC Guidelines, and play the game according to the rules.”
“IGP warns AIGs and CPs across the country, senior police officers and other personnel not to engage in political partisanship or bias but to remain focused and provide security for all throughout the period,”the statement added.
The statement read: “The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has ordered the implementation of robust and elaborate security arrangements to ensure a hitch-free Christmas and New Year celebration and adequate security for all political parties in the on-going political rallies and campaigns across the country.
“The comprehensive crime prevention and detection strategies and other operational measures will include the commencement of intensive raids of identified criminal hideouts, black spots and flashpoints across the country.
“The Inspector-General of Police further directs the CPs and their supervisory AIGs to be on ground to ensure adequate safety of lives and property of all Nigerians during and after the period.
“The IGP has re-emphasised same directives to all commanders of Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) and Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) to ensure deployments of their personnel under the supervision of the CPs in the states and the FCT to flashpoints and crisis spots in the various commands across the country.
“In addition, Police Special Forces and specialised units of the force, including Special Tactical Squad, Special Protection Unit, Border Patrol and Explosive Ordinance Department have been adequately mobilised and deployed along with the conventional policemen to beef up security in their area of responsibilities to ensure safety of lives and property throughout the period of Christmas and New Year celebration and beyond.
“Police Federal Highway Patrol teams, Safer Highway teams, divisional patrol teams and other tactical squads have been mandated and are under strict instruction to be polite, civil but strict in ensuring security and safety of travellers and other road users throughout the country.”
“The motor traffic divisions of the Force in every state are to ensure free flow of traffic throughout the highways and major roads in the country. They are to enforce the road traffic act in totality.
“The Inspector General of Police has equally directed the Assistant Inspector General of Police and Commissioners of Police to ensure that no roadblock is mounted anywhere in the country, including those by revenue agencies who are prohibited by law not to obstruct any road or highway under the guise of collecting revenue.
“CPs and AIGs to ensure visibility police and crime prevention patrols in their Area of Responsibilities (AOR) throughout the country, this is to make sure that safety and free passage for all travellers nationwide are guaranteed.
“The personnel of the Force will be on 24Hours round-the-clock surveillance and robust vehicular patrols throughout the Yuletide and the New Year. Particular attention and adequate police deployment will also be carried out on places of worship and venues of celebration including strategic public places, recreation centres, shopping malls, business plazas, motor parks, Government installations and other important locations so as to forestall any criminal activity and guarantee the safety of the citizenry.”
On political campaigns and rallies, the statement quoted the police chief as directing that the implementation of a robust and elaborate security arrangement and measures be made to ensure adequate security and safety for the electioneering campaigns and rallies throughout the country.
“The Commissioners of Police in the Commands and Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police throughout the Country have been providing adequate security for all political parties in all the political rallies and campaigns so far, however, the Force will not tolerate any form of political thuggery, intimidation, demonstration of violent conducts and over dramatization of political fans that can precipitate political clashes and jeopardize prevailing peace in any State from any Political Party or Politician(s),”the statement said.
It added:”The Force will also not condone hate speeches, indecent and criminal defamatory conducts from any individual(s) or group(s) that can cause threat to public peace and safety anywhere in the country during the campaigns and beyond. The full weight of the law will be applied on any individual(s) or group(s) arrested.
“Commissioners of Police are to effect
“IGP has also warned AIGs and CPs across the Country, Senior Police Officers
The Force will continue to be neutral and ensure level playing ground in terms of security, and therefore will not tolerate any attempt by any political party or other group(s) or individual(s) to link the operation of the Force in partisanship with any political party or affiliate.
“Parents and Guidance, Traditional/Religious Leaders, Public Office Holders are hereby implored to monitor their children, wards, subjects and adherent to be law abiding and resist to be used to cause disturbance of public peace and violation of law and order during the period of the campaigns and beyond.”
