The Nigeria Police Force has announced enhanced security measures for public institutions and the residences of prominent Nigerians in response to recent destruction caused by miscreants during the nationwide hunger and bad governance protests.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for Finance and Administration, Bala Ciroma, made the announcement during an on-the-spot assessment in Azare, Katagum LGA of Bauchi State yesterday.
He said while normalcy had returned, proactive steps were necessary to prevent future incidents.
It would be recalled that on Monday, hoodlums hijacked the #EndBadGovernance protests, causing mayhem in Azare. They set a section of the Katagum LGA secretariat on fire and targeted the homes of politicians, including a former deputy governor, looting properties and other valuables.
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This prompted Governor Bala Mohammed to impose a 24-hour curfew, which has, however, been relaxed.
Ciroma said, “We need to reach out to the public and enlighten them on why these kinds of disruptive protests should not be allowed. There is a need for us to further fortify security around the area to prevent future occurrence.”
He also warned against actions by some protesters carrying flags of other countries, describing it as treason.
“In a sovereign country like Nigeria, it amounts to treasonable felony. We must be careful how we express ourselves in terms of protests. There is a difference between a protest and an insurrection, so be careful,” Ciroma cautioned.
The Caretaker Chairman of Katagum, Musa Ahmed Azare, appealed to the residents to refrain from destroying public and private properties, reminding them that these assets belong to the community and their kin.
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