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Molly Kilete
The Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Abuja, has assured the public of adequate security before, during and after the upcoming general elections in the country.
The force said it has put adequate security in place to identify, isolate and neutralise all possible security threats to the peaceful conduct of the elections.
It therefore called on Nigerians to go about their legitimate businesses without fear of being molested by any individual or groups.
Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, gave the assurance in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.
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The assurance is coming on the heels of a message being circulated on the social media over plans by the Boko Haram group to attack Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), before the general elections.
The message which has gone viral on the social media, warned residents to avoid crowded places like political gatherings, shopping malls, markets, hotels and schools among others.
The message reads: “Dear Abuja residents, information just procured revealed that Boko Haram has been promising to attack Abuja before 2019 elections. Boko Haram now West African ISIS, released a new video, promising to attack Abuja before 2019 elections, the new Boko Haram leader, Al Barnawi, said this in a new video released by the group.
While speaking in Hausa, he said before the 2019 election, his group would stage an attack on the federal capital, boasting that the Nigeria army could not stop them from lunching their attack.
The message said: “All are STRONGLY advised to take all the necessary precautions to ensure that crowded areas and political gathering are as much as possible avoided. You are further advised to monitor places like malls, markets, hotels, schools.
“We should also report any suspicious characters to the security agencies. Faith-based places should also bring this to the notice of all worshippers to be on alert at all times.
“Thanks, and kindly share with all your contacts.”
But in a swift reaction, Frank Mba, said there was no cause for alarm ahead of the elections even as he called on the public to continue to support the police and report any suspicious movement to the relevant security agencies.
Mba, in a telephone interview with our correspondent said: “The general elections are a major security task ahead of the force. The IGP, Mohammed Adamu, expressly acknowledged this in his maiden speech to the nation.
“Our task in this regard is to ensure peaceful, crisis-free and violent-free elections – before, during and after the elections. We are absolutely committed to this mission. Consequently, adequate security measures have been put in place to identify, isolate and neutralise all possible security threats to the peaceful conduct of the elections.
“Both the Operational and Intelligence units of the force have been mobilised for this crucial national assignment. Nigerians are therefore, enjoined to continue to support the police in this regard and report any suspicious move to the relevant security agencies.”
