Christmas: IGP pledges improved service delivery, orders 24hrs visibility patrol

The Inspector General of Police IGP, Usman Alkali Baba has ordered the Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the thirty-six (36) States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, including their supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), to initiate and implement well-coordinated crime prevention strategies and ensure round-the-clock visibility patrols towards peaceful Christmas and New Year celebrations in the country.

CP Frank Mba, the Public Relations Officer at the Force Headquarters Abuja disclosed this in a press statement.

The IGP noted in the statement that “achieving a crime and crisis free yuletide is of utmost priority to the force and the nation at large, being the build-up into a new year.”

He assured citizens that adequate security throughout the period of the celebration and beyond will be provided.

IGP Alkali further noted that he has directed “AIGs and CPs to massively deploy human intelligence and other operational assets of the force at their disposal to all public places, including residential areas, places of worship, recreational centres, financial institutions, market places, motor-parks, major highways, airports, railway stations, amongst others, to protect the citizens as well as critical national infrastructure (CNI).”

Equally, he “warned Police personnel deployed for duties during the yuletide, particularly those deployed to secure the highways across the country, to shun acts inimical to discipline and professionalism of the force.

The IGP equally enjoined citizens to cooperate with officers deployed for the assignments, especially by being law abiding, noting that the force remains sensitive to issues of rights violations, illegitimate use of force and has since deployed the Monitoring Units, the X-Squad, and the Force Provost Unit on joint operation nationwide with a view to monitoring conducts of officers as citizens transit in and around the country during the festive season and holidays.”

While congratulating Christians in the country on the occasion of the 2021 celebration of the birth of Christ, IGP Alkali thanked all Nigerians for supporting the Police and the security community in the fight against crimes and criminality.

He enjoined 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 further emphasized that citizens must keep Police emergency phone lines handy, or contact the nearest Police station in the event of any untoward situation that may pose threats to public peace, safety and security.

”The IGP, on behalf of the Force Management Team and entire officers of the Force, wishes Nigerians a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year while assuring citizens of improved service delivery in the coming year, 2022”, the statement said.