Solomon Arase, the inspector-general of police (IGP), has ordered zonal assistant inspectors-general of police and command commissioners of police to beef up security around all key and vulnerable points, as well as critical infrastructures like mega filling stations, major hotels, national/state houses of assembly, eagle square among others.
The statement, circulated by Emmanuel Ojukwu, force public relations office, said the directive becomes imperative in a bid to “ward off possible plans by insurgents to carry out widespread violence and coordinated attacks on these installations and public places ahead of May 29, 2015, with a view to undermining presidential/governorship inauguration/swearing-in ceremonies in the country”.
“The police high command enjoins members of the public to remain steadfast in collaborating with officers and men of the Nigeria police and other security agencies to stamp out crimes, including war against terror, as the police have perfected strategies to prepare a safe and secured ground to ensure hitch free inauguration/swearing-in nationwide,” it said.
Attacks by the Boko Haram sect seemed to have been curtailed by sustained military raids on their hideouts in the north-east, particularly in Sambisa, Borno state, but the insurgents look to have regrouped and are now back to their trademark suicide-bomb attacks.
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In the latest in the series of resumed attacks, a female suicide bomber struck at a motor park close to Bayan Tasha market in Damaturu, capital of Yobe state, on Saturday, killing seven people.
This was then followed, three days later, by another suicide bomb blast at Garkida Market in Gombi local government area of Adamawa state, during which nine people died at first count.
Police suspicion of Boko Haram attacks ahead of the handover could have some rooting in threats by the sect to disrupt the 2015 general election, which it attempted to carry out in a few places.
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