The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, has ordered the Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the 36 states and the FCT to coordinate crime prevention strategies for the yuletide.
This is contained in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, on Friday in Abuja.
The I-G also ordered their supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) to ensure implementation of such strategies.
He directed the CPs and AIGs to ensure round-the-clock visibility patrols toward peaceful Christmas and New Year celebrations.
According to him, achieving a crime and crisis free yuletide is of utmost priority to the force.
Baba pledged to ensure adequate security throughout the period of the celebration and beyond.
He said the AIGs and CPs had been directed to massively deploy human, intelligence and other operational assets of the force at their disposal to all public places.
He said the deployment to residential areas, places of worship, recreational centres, financial institutions, market places, motor-parks, major highways, airports, railway stations, among others, was to protect citizens and critical national infrastructure.
The I-G warned personnel deployed for duties during the season, particularly those posted to secure the highways across the country, to desist from unprofessional acts.
He urged citizens to cooperate with officers deployed for the assignments by being law abiding, assuring that the force would remain sensitive to issues of rights violations and illegitimate use of force.
The police boss noted that the monitoring unit, the X-Squad, and the Force Provost Unit on joint operation had since been deployed.
He explained that the idea was to ensure close monitoring of personnel conduct as citizens transit in and around the country during the holidays.
The I-G congratulated Christians in the country on the occasion of the 2021 Christmas and commended Nigerians for supporting the police and the security community in the fight against crimes and criminality.
Baba urged citizens to go about the celebration in the spirit of love, sacrifice and to take protective measures to reduce exposure to security risks and the new wave of the COVID-19 variant.
He also urged people to contact the nearest police station in the event of any untoward situation.(NAN)
