Police Placed On Red Alert Over Plan To Attack Lagos

The Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has said it is on alert to defend the commercial city from any form of attack from terrorists.

Naija News understands that the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said this while speaking during a webinar space over the weekend.

Hundeyin made the bold statement while reacting to reports that dreaded Boko Haram terrorists and its affiliate, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) are planning to attack the state, as well as some parts of the country.

Reports had claimed that the two sects were planning to invade some parts of the North-West, North-Central and South-West.

Lagos, Kaduna, Kogi, Katsina and Zamfara states as well as the Federal Capital Territory were all mentioned as targets for the attack.

Reacting, however, to the report, Hundeyin who was responding to questions from The PUNCH during the webinar said operatives of the command are ready and are also getting intelligence reports.

Hundeyin said, “We are working seriously with other security agencies. Many times that I am with the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, the Department of State Services keeps sending intelligence reports to us.”

According to him, the police were not working in isolation but rubbing minds with other securities to forestall any attack.

The spokesman added: “All resources are available, from human resources to gadgets. Our equipment has been optimally deployed to ensure that we don’t have any attack in Lagos.”

Hundeyin also urged residents in Lagos to help the police and other sister agencies with needed information that could help in securing the state.

He said: “The people also have a role to play by reporting suspicious movements to security agencies. It’s a collective thing.

“On our part, we are not just ignoring it, we are at alert.”

He noted that the CP was engaging all the Area Commanders and the Divisional Police Officers, among others on the matter.

“Most of us have families, and relatives in Lagos, my parents are in Lagos and I know that if I don’t do my job, it’s not just the people out there that will be affected, we (the police) will be affected by this. We’re all Nigerians and we’re together in this,” Hundeyin added.