The Police Command in Sokoto State said it would mount 24-hour surveillance of churches, banks, highways and other public places during the forthcoming Yuletide celebrations.
The Commissioner of Police in Sokoto, Shua’ibu Gambo, made this known when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria in Sokoto on Sunday.
Gambo said: “For the forthcoming Christmas and New Year, we are working round the clock in this direction.
“We have put all the officers and men in the 23 local governments and Area Commands on red alert.”
According to Gambo, special care is being taken to make Sokoto State peaceful during and after the celebrations.
He added: “Additional personnel have been drafted to Sokoto city and its environs from the various area commands and divisions to the various Churches, intra-city, inter-city routes and other public places.
“Additional patrol vehicles and plain-clothes security personnel have also been drafted across the state.”
The commissioner added that the command had increased the tempo of inter-agency cooperation to further secure lives and property of the residents of the state.
Gambo also restated his call on the people of the state to assist the security agencies with intelligence reports.
“The task of ensuring security across Nigeria is the collective responsibility of all Nigerians,” he said.
Also, the Police Command in Sokoto State has banned the use of fireworks and knockouts during the forthcoming Christmas and New Year festivities in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer for the command, DSP Al-Mustapha Sani, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Sokoto on Sunday.
According to Sani, the measure becomes necessary due to the prevailing security situation in the country.
Sani said the use fireworks and knockouts were capable of frightening the residents, who might misconstrue them and panic.
The police spokesman warned residents, especially the youth, against flouting the ban and appealed to the parents and guardians to keep watchful eyes on their children and wards.
He warned: “Anyone found wanting in this regard will be dealt with accordingly.”
Sani gave the assurance that the command would do its best to ensure peaceful and memorable Christmas and New Year for the residents.
Also, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps said the command had mapped out strategies to ensure peaceful yuletide celebrations.
It’s Commander, Yusha’u Aliyu, told NAN in a telephone interview that the command had put its personnel “on red alert in this direction”.
Aliyu added: “We have braced up to the additional security challenges that may come up during Christmas and New Year.”
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