The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, has ordered the beefing up of security nationwide around critical and vulnerable installations ahead of the May 29 inauguration date.
The IGP’s directives to commanding officers, was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu.
According to the statement, the IGP ordered Zonal AIGs and Commissioners of Police in states, to immediately take steps to protect critical infrastructure like mega filling stations, major hotels, National/State Houses of Assembly, and the Eagle Square. The statement said that it was imperative to ward off possible plans by insurgents to carry out widespread violence and coordinated attacks on those installations and public places ahead of the May 29, adding that the insurgents plan to undermine the Presidential/Governorship inauguration/ swearing-in ceremonies nationwide.
The statement however disclosed that the police had perfected strategies to provide security to ensure that the ceremonies were hitch-free, advising the public to continue to collaborate with the police and other security agencies to stamp out crimes and terror.
In another police related matter, Inspector-General of Police has barred police officers attached to government officials from engaging in as domestic chores for their principals. Arase gave the warning while speaking at an interactive session with police inspectors and other rank and file personnel selected from commands nationwide at the Police Headquarters in Abuja.”I have directed the commissioner of police in-charge of the airports that if they find any of you carrying boxes (of VIPs) and rifles, and dragging them all over the place, they should arrest you and you will be punished”. ”Those of you who are posted to VIPs, on no account should you carry their bags and on no account should you act as domestic servants to them. You are police officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and they must respect you as such. Your uniform must be respected, anybody who wants to hire a domestic help should not use our policemen who are sent to protect them as domestic help”.
