The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, yesterday said the Force is set to deploy sniffer and general purpose dogs to Kaduna-Abuja highway and other vulnerable spots across the country for crime fighting and security.
The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday said the Abuja airport would be closed for six weeks to allow for total rehabilitation of the runway, which he said had gone beyond palliatives measures.
The IG while flagging off the K9 dog trailers at the Force headquarters in Abuja, said the trailers which is made up of special compartments for easy movement of dogs will also be deployed to the North-eastern region to tackle terrorism.
He said: “With the temporary closure of the Abuja airport, the K9 trailers will be deployed to the Abuja-Kaduna highway for crime control. Deployment within Abuja metropolis will include Abuja airport, Force Headquarters, National Assembly, Defence College, Federal Secretariat and other key vulnerable areas and black spots.”
He said the dogs would be deployed for counter terrorism, drug trafficking at the major airports in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu.
The police chief said: “We have also concluded plans to deploys the dogs to comb Mosques and strategic places in the North-east, where use of IEDs are threats to peace and safety of the people.
“At the airports. The K9 sniffers will be involved in sniffing IEDs, narcotics, arms and ammunitions and crime prevention and detection.”
In a remark, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), in charge of Force Animal Branch, Mr. Charles Ugomuoh, said the cutting edge K9 trailers consists of six compartments kernels with factory fitted air conditioners for the deployment of sniffer and general purpose patrol dogs.
