Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has placed all tactical and intelligence units on high alert to ensure nationwide security during Christmas and New Year celebrations
IGP Orders Nationwide Security Lockdown as Police Activate Tactical Units for Christmas, New Year
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the placement of all tactical and intelligence units of the Nigeria Police Force on heightened operational readiness to guarantee security during the Christmas and New Year celebrations across the country.
The directive was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, as part of a proactive nationwide security strategy aimed at preventing crime and ensuring peaceful festivities.
According to the statement, the IGP directed zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) and state Commissioners of Police to “intensify patrols, visibility policing, intelligence-led operations and confidence-building engagements” throughout the festive period.
Hundeyin said the operation will involve the deployment of specialised police formations, including the Police Mobile Force, Counter-Terrorism Unit, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Command, Intelligence Response Team, Special Tactical Squad, Special Intervention Squad, Highway Patrol, Marine Police, and the Police Airwing.
“All these units have been placed on heightened operational readiness,” the statement noted.
The police said security coverage will be prioritised around places of worship, recreational centres, markets, parks, event venues, transport terminals, highways, critical national infrastructure, and other high-density public spaces.
It added that “additional patrol teams and surveillance units have also been activated to cover inter-state routes and major expressways” to ensure seamless movement and deter criminal activities.
Egbetokun further instructed commands nationwide to sustain raids on identified blackspots, forests, criminal hideouts and flashpoints, while strengthening collaboration with other security agencies and community stakeholders to achieve comprehensive security coverage.
The Inspector-General urged officers deployed for the operation to remain “firm but courteous in the discharge of their duties”, while calling on citizens to stay vigilant and “report all suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through available emergency lines.”
The Nigeria Police Force assured Nigerians of its commitment to ensuring that the yuletide season is celebrated “in an atmosphere of peace, safety and security” nationwide.
