Nationwide protest: Police deploys 4,200 officers in FCT

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command says it has deployed at least 4,200 personnel to various strategic locations in the territory ahead of the planned nationwide protests.

DAILY POST reports that Nigerian youths have scheduled August 1 to 10 for nationwide protests to express their displeasure over hunger and hardship in the country.

In a statement made available to DAILY POST on Friday by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the Command stated that it proactively deployed material and human resources at its disposal across the nooks and crannies of the nation’s capital to prevent lawlessness.

She said that the proactive deployment is aimed at ensuring “public safety, protection of protesters, and preventing protests from being hijacked by non-state actors”.

The PPRO noted that the deployment was characterised by visibility policing, the deployment of explosive ordinance devices, EOD experts and personnel at various strategic locations.

She said the operation of the officers would include raids on identified black spots, uncompleted buildings/shanties, stop and search, vehicular and foot patrol and synergy with sister security agencies.

“The Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh, while acknowledging the right of residents to protest, advises that it should be peaceful.

“The CP vows to resist all forms of violent protest and lawlessness, as the police will not be stampeded into allowing the destruction of public and private properties or loss of lives,” she added.