New Year Eve: Police, Churches Beef Up Security

SECURITY were beefed-up yesterday in all police formations and major churches in Lagos State following intelligent information that members of the dissident Boko Haram sect are planning an attack on major cities in the country on New Year day.At most of the police formations and major Protestant and Pentecostal churches in the metropolis in the state, there were heavy presence of fierce-looking policemen who were all armed.Churches have also asked their members to be vigilant and report any strange movement within the congregation.It was gathered that at Oduduwa Street GRA, Ikeja which serves as base for the Police Public Relations Office (PPRO), Police Mobile Force (PMF), 20 and 22, the Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Special Protection Unit (SPU), the entrance road was barricaded by heavily armed policemen.The policemen, who were drawn from all the formations mention above, stopped and searched every vehicle that was entering the premises.Some vehicle drivers who could not give them a good explanation for visiting the place were turned back.Commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada, were not allowed to exceed certain points even as their passengers were subjected to rigorous search.One of the squadron commanders was seen patrolling with his men around the GRA.A senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there was no cause for alarm as everything was under control.The officer explained that the command do not want to leave any stone unturned in its resolute at ensuring that lives and properties are protected in the state.According to the source, although Lagos is not one of the cities that Boko Haram threatened to attack today, the command is committed to ensuring that all criminal elements are caged during this festive period.
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