The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command says it has deployed 4,200 officers ahead of a nationwide planned protest.
The protest will reportedly commence on August 1.
In a Friday statement, Josephine Adeh, FCT police spokesperson, said the deployment of the officers is “aimed at ensuring public safety, protection of protesters, and preventing protests from being hijacked by non-state actors.”
Adeh said Benneth Igweh, FCT police commissioner, has assured residents that officers will protect lives and property and not condone violence.
She urged residents to report any suspicious movements and remain vigilant.
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“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 statement added.
