The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the various heads of police formations where lockdown is being enforced to beef up security in their various jurisdictions.
He specifically directed the Assistant Inspector-Generals of Police (AIG) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the affected areas to prevent criminals from taking advantage of the lockdown to attack residents and dispossess them of their properties.
The police boss gave the directive on Tuesday at the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.
Amid the ongoing lockdown in Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the IGP asked the AIGs and CPs to deploy police assets to strategic locations in their domains.
He said, “We want to again sound a note of warning to criminals that are taking the opportunity of the lockdown to go from place to place, especially in Lagos mainland and any part of this to desist from doing that.
“We have instructed all the Commissioners of Police, the AIGs in charge of zonal commands, to deploy all the resources available to them to make sure that criminals are not allowed to take the opportunity of the lockdown to commit their crimes.”
Adamu noted that the police authorities were aware of the activities of criminals in some communities in some parts of Lagos and Ogun.
He stated that the force responded swiftly and deployed an intervention force led by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
According to the police boss, personnel were deployed to vulnerable points such as residential areas, markets, shopping malls, banks, and other critical national infrastructure to make sure that they are not vandalised or attacked.
“Due to the series of complaints received from Lagos and Ogun axis on the activities of some hoodlums who are common criminals that came out to be attacking innocent citizens and depriving them of their properties.
“We also ensured that policemen that were deployed adhere strictly to the force code of conduct and respect for the rights of Nigerian citizens,” he added.
The IGP said the police would provide escort for movement of medical personnel and relief materials, while police water cannons have been provided for fumigation purposes, especially the FCT.