Police Acting Inspector General Usman Baba has positioned police commissioners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Plateau State after receiving fresh security alert on Boko Haram.
While the police tried to downplay the alarm yesterday, saying they were ready to deal with any threat to stability, it came on the heels of an atttack on the Kwankwashe group in Niger State’s Suleja LGA which shares a border with the FCT on Wednesday.
The attack led to the death of one man while 12 residents were whisked away.
Following the police warning, the management of University of Jos directed students to vacate the hostels for two weeks.
In a statement sent to the FCT and Plateau State Police Commissioners on May 19, 2021, Acting IGP Usman Baba stated that an intelligence report indicated that terrorists were preparing to target Abuja and Jos.
His Principal Staff Officer, Idowu Owohunwa, an acting CP, who signed the memo, said: “Intelligence report at the disposal of the Inspector-General of Police has uncovered plans by Boko Haram terrorists to attack major cities in the country, particularly in Jos, Plateau and the FCT, Abuja.
“The proposed attacks would be coordinated by the duo of Muhammad Sani, a Boko Haram commander domiciled in Sambisa Forest, and his deputy, Suleiman, hibernating around Lawan Musa Zango, Gashua, Yobe State.
“In light of the above, it is the directive of the Inspector-General of Police that you review your security architecture across all critical government infrastructures and police facilities in your jurisdiction with a view to checkmating the dastardly plans of these marauding terrorists.”
Soon after the warning went viral on social media, the Force Headquarters released a statement urging citizens of the FCT and Plateau State not to worry.
It said citizens should see the alert as a “re-assurance of the intelligence depth capacity and operational preparedness of the Nigeria Police.”
“The IGP’s directive, which is a deliberate, intelligence-driven and proactive measure, is designed to prepare the law enforcement community for comprehensive response to any threat to lives and property.
”The IGP noted that the security alert, rather than becoming a source of panic to the citizens, should instead send a message of re-assurance to them about the intelligence depth capacity and operational preparedness of the Nigeria Police to preemptively deal and contain any threat to public peace and security.”
“The Police High Command therefore calls for calm, urging citizens to go about their normal activities with renewed sense of vigour, patriotism and vigilance as the police continue to work with other relevant stakeholders to keep our public space safe,” the statement said.
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