I-G says no cause for panic in Plateau, FCT

The Acting Inspector General of Police (I-G) Mr Usman Baba says there is no cause to panic over safety and security in Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that earlier on Friday, the I-G, in an internal memo, had directed the Commissioners of Police in Plateau and FCT to take proactive measures to forestall any form of attack in their areas.

The I-G urged them to protect critical national infrastructure in their Areas of Responsibilities (AOR) following a planned attack by elements of the Boko Haram.

The directive, however, leaked and went viral on social and mainstream media.

Mba, who said that the clarification followed the viral spread of the internal directive issued to the two commissioners, said that the directive was a deliberate, intelligent driven and proactive measure by the Nigeria Police.

The FPRO explained that the directive was to forestall any likelihood of an attack or breach of security by organised criminal elements.

According to him, it is designed to prepare the law enforcement community for a comprehensive response to any threat to lives and property.

He said that the security alert should be seen as a message of reassurance about the intelligence depth, capacity and operational preparedness of the Nigeria Police instead of being a source of panic.

“The alert does not in any way suggest that an attack is imminent in any of the two states,” he said.

He called for calm and urged citizens to go about their normal activities with a renewed sense of vigour, patriotism and vigilance.

Mba said that the police would continue to work with other relevant stakeholders to keep the public space safe.