From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State command (CP), Akeem Yusuf, on Thursday said the command has beefed up security with well-coordinated crime prevention strategies towards the Christmas and New Year Celebrations in the state.
The CP ordered all the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in the state and their supervisory Area Commanders as well as tactical Commanders to keep criminal elements at bay to have a hitch free Christmas and New Year celebrations.
This was contained in a statement made available to Journalists in Lokoja by the Command’s Public Relation Officer (PPRO), SP Williams Ovye-Aya, said that already the use of knockouts had been banned in the state during the yuletide.
“This, the CP said, should be through massive deployment of human, intelligence, and operational assets of the force at their disposal to major highways, places of worship, recreational centers, marketplaces, motor parks, and other places of public interest.
“He further tasked them to ensure round-the-clock visibility and confidence-boosting patrols round the state through out the festive season.
“All the same, adequate Security measures became imperative in view of activities of criminal elements in the society, which also calls for cooperation amongst the people of Kogi State to ensure a hitch free Christmas and New Year celebrations, ” he said.
Ovye-Aya said that while the CP enjoined the People of Kogi to unflinchingly cooperate with Police officers and other security agents, he reiterated the ban on the use of fireworks.
According to him, the CP urges residents to keep Police emergency phone lines handy and contact the nearest Police station in the event of any unpleasant situation that may pose threats to public peace, safety, and security.
“Nevertheless, the Commissioner of Police, on behalf of the entire officers of the Kogi Police Command, wishes Kogites a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year,” Ovye-Aya said.
