The Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Madam Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, has warned hoodlums and criminals who may wish to operate during Christmas to ply their trade elsewhere.

Speaking to journalists in an interview after a thanksgiving service at SS Peter and Paul, Police Headquarters Abakaliki, Abdallah said the ceremony was the first step towards ensuring a crime-free yuletide.

“First is to hand it over to the Almighty God. We have already activated our ‘ember’ months operations. I am sure people are seeing us out on the road with more visibility policing, more checks and more security hints among other measures,” she said.

While appealing to Ebonyi people to be law-abiding Abdallah reminded commercial motorcyclists to obey the law requiring them to stop their operations in the state at 7 p.m., and avoid plying dual carriage ways.

She charged vehicle owners: “If you have non-factory fitted tinted glasses, please remove them. I am personally leading this operation for the ‘ember’ months and it is important that everybody knows that we are coming out. All criminals, I suggest you find some other states. Law abiding citizens, we are here for you.”

“We will not relent. It’s 24-hours, seven days a week surveillance, till the new year. This is where we have started and we trust the good Lord to see us through. We want Ebonyi people to tell us where things are going wrong; where you are suspecting something.”

On security measures to be adopted by individuals to forestall crime, the CP recommended e-transactions and cautioned against carrying huge sums of cash. She said those who must move huge cash around must seek the assistance of the police.