Kingsley Nwezeh
Ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Baba, yesterday, ordered Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to beef up security ahead of the muslim festivity.
The order came as notorious kidnap king pin and gunrunner, Hamisu Wadume, detained in Kuje Prison, is believed to be one of the inmates that escaped from the prison after Tuesday night attack on Kuje prison by terrorists.
Wadume, who was remanded in custody at Kuje Prison for armed robbery, kidnaping and gun running after his arrest by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the police was missing after the attack on the facility.
This comes as the Department of State Security (DSS) denied that one of its operatives was caught escaping from the prison after the attack.
A statement by Force Headquarters said the IG ordered Commissioners of Police (CPs) and tactical commanders in all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and their supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), to beef up security ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration in order to prevent any untoward situation in their Areas of Responsibility (AoR) throughout the Eid-el-Kabir season and beyond.
The IG directed that supervisory AIGs and their respective CPs should ensure adequate deployment of officers and assets to prevent the occurrence of crimes and criminality, as well as build confidence amongst the citizens. “The Police boss charged officers and men of the police to engage in critical assessment of threat prone areas, thorough stop and search, raids on black spots and other anti-crime strategies capable of sustaining peace and public safety in Nigeria.
“The IGP equally warned that personnel deployed must be professional and mindful of the fundamental rights of the citizens, and discharge their responsibilities with all sense of decorum and alertness,” it said.
