Terror alert: IGP urges residents to remain calm, reviews advisory

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has said the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) would review the security advisory released by the United States Embassy on the possible terror attack on Abuja.

The U.S. Embassy security advisory alert issued on Sunday said targets for the attack may include government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, and shopping malls.

It said others are hotels, bars, restaurants, athletic gatherings, transport terminals, law enforcement facilities, and international organisations.

However, the IGP, in a statement issued on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the police would not take any threat intelligence for granted, adding he (Baba) has announced the immediate commencement of a Counter Terrorism Incident Simulation Exercise codenamed ‘Operation Darkin Gaggawa’ in Abuja between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Adejobi urged the residents of the nation’s capital to remain, noting that Baba has ordered the FCT Commissioner of Police, and other State Command CPs to restrategise security management within their jurisdictions.

The police spokesperson stated: “A review of the advisory is necessary due to the fact that Police, as the lead agency in internal security, will not take any threat intelligence, either actionable or not, for granted; thus, there is no cause for alarm as all hands are on deck to collectively nip threats in the bud.

“The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has however ordered the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, heads of tactical squads domiciled in the FCT, and other State Command CPs to restrategise security management within their jurisdictions, as the Force Headquarters will continually avail them with required support, logistics, and deployments necessary for providing safety to all and sundry in Nigeria; while the NPF will continually work with other security agencies to make every part of Nigeria safe, especially the FCT.

“In furtherance of his zeal and strategies to decimate activities of non-state actors and other criminal elements in the FCT and other parts of the country, and to analyze and de-escalate threats gathered from various intelligence at the Force’s disposal, U.S advisory inclusive, the IGP has announced the immediate commencement of a Counter Terrorism Incident Simulation Exercise codenamed “Operation Darkin Gaggawa” will hold within the Force Headquarters and the Police Officers Wives Association School opposite the Force Headquarters, Abuja, between Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th October, 2022.

“The exercise will involve diversion of traffic, use of blank ammunition, and other operational manpower and assets, and is designed to improve interoperability and synergy between different units and formations of the Force in response to terrorist incidents and other violent crimes. The NPF thereby urges the general public not to panic at the sounds of explosives and gunshots during the exercise.

“The Inspector-General of Police, therefore, reiterates the commitment of his administration to ensuring safety of lives and property within the country via the effective deployment of tactical and operational assets for effective intelligence gathering and proactive policing. He further reassures Nigerians of a safe and secure country for all,” Adejobi noted.

The Star