The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has declared war on protesters it said may cause mayhem and destroy properties in the nation’s capital during the planned August nationwide protests.
It has therefore deployed 4,200 personnel across the FCT.
NewsNGR has witnessed stern-looking armed policemen in strategic locations across the capital city. Locations like 4th Avenue Gwarinpa, Utako, Wuse and others have seen increased police presence on Friday.
There’s also stop and search in several locations as the standoff over the protest continues.
Consequently, the FCT Police said protests which could be violent and lawless will not be allowed.
A statement on Friday by the FCT Police Commissioner, Benneth Igweh however said, “The FCT Police Command, in anticipation of the planned nationwide protest by some human rights activists and Nigerian youths to publicly express their displeasure over hunger and hardship, has proactively deployed material and human resources at the command’s disposal across the nooks and crannies of the nation’s capital.
“The proactive deployment, which is aimed at ensuring public safety, protection of protesters, and preventing protests from being hijacked by non-state actors, is characterised by visibility policing, the deployment of explosive ordinance devices (EOD) experts and personnel at various strategic locations, raids on identified black spots, uncompleted buildings/shanties, stop and search, vehicular and foot patrol and synergy with sister security agencies.
“The Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh, while acknowledging the right of residents to protest, advises that it should be peaceful.
“The CP vows to resist all forms of violent protest and lawlessness, as the police will not be stampeded into allowing the destruction of public and private properties or loss of lives.
“Residents are also urged to be vigilant and take advantage of the Police emergency lines to report suspicious activities,” the FCT Police said in a statement.