| Threat should be taken seriously, says Arewa Forum
BY GODWIN ENNA, ABDULLAHI OLESIN, ABU NMODU, ACHOR ABIMAJE, AZA MSUE, ADEBAYO WAHEED, JOSHUA DADA, ALO ABIOLA, FELIX IGBEKOYI, EMMANUEL MGBEAHURIKE, INIOBONG EKPONTA, HUSSAINI HAMMANGABDO
Security agencies across the country have intensified operations around schools, worship centres, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations following a security report warning of possible coordinated terrorist attacks.
The development has prompted the police, military, paramilitary agencies and state governments to deploy additional personnel to flashpoints, borders and other areas considered vulnerable to attacks.
The heightened security measures followed a Nigeria Police Force alert warning of increased mobilisation by terrorist elements and possible coordinated attacks on places of worship, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations.
The alert identified parts of the North-East, North-West, North-Central and South-West as areas requiring particular attention.
The police directive, contained in a September 13 wireless message from the Force Department of Operations, Abuja, was circulated to police formations nationwide and marked “Security General” and “Treat as Very Important.”
The directive ordered commanders to intensify intelligence-led surveillance, patrols, stop-and-search operations, access control and rapid-response arrangements around vulnerable locations.
Commissioners of police were also directed to strengthen security at state borders, entry and exit routes, and other approaches that could be used by armed elements.
Katsina Deploys 708 Vigilantes
In Katsina State, the government and security agencies have stepped up preventive measures following the alert.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Sulaiman Jibia, said the government had approved the recruitment and deployment of 708 additional vigilantes to protect public schools, particularly in security-prone communities.
He said public schools had also been directed to establish security committees involving school authorities, security personnel and community representatives. Mobile police officers are being deployed to vulnerable boarding schools under the state’s Safe Schools Initiative.
The Katsina State Police Command, through its spokesman, Abubakar Aliyu Sadiq, said security had been heightened across the state, including frontline local government areas.
He said the command was intensifying intelligence-led patrols, stop-and-search operations and monitoring of entry and exit routes, while strengthening collaboration with security agencies, religious leaders and educational institutions.
Residents were urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons, vehicles or activities to security agencies.
Benue Deploys Operatives to Flashpoints
In Benue State, the police command said it had stepped up surveillance, patrols and raids in flashpoints.
