THE Police has tightened security in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of the inauguration of a new administration on May 29.
The inauguration will usher in a new administration headed by President-elect Bola Tinubu, who was declared winner of the February 25 president election.
In a statement on Friday, May 26, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the FCT Police Command Josephine Adeh said officers and men of the Police Force have been deployed to beef up security in the territory ahead of the event.
There are also collaborations between the Police and other security agencies to ensure that the event is held without any form of violence.
“The strategic, operational deployment is characterized by visibility policing across the Territory, stop and search duty, intelligence-led raids on black spots, surveillance, vehicular/foot patrol, and diversions at strategic points.”
Traffic is to be diverted at strategic points in the FCT, particularly in areas around the Eagle Square, venue of the inauguration.
The FCT police spokesperson listed the areas where traffic is to be diverted as Goodluck Jonathan Expressway by Court of Appeal, Deeper Life Junction, Bond/Total Filling Station, and POWA/FCDA Junction.
Diversions will also be created along the Finance Junction by ECOWAS/Women Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eagle Square (Phase 1 & Phase 11), Kur Muhammad Way/National Mosque, Abia House, and NITEL Junction by Ademola Adetokunbo.
Other areas are Gana Junction/Transcorp, Bayelsa House by Federal High Court, Aso Drive, Ceddi Plaza, NNPC Twin Tower and NNPC/NBS.
The police spokesperson further disclosed that there would be a display of fireworks by midnight, Sunday, May 28, at the City Gate and Millennium Towers to usher in the new government. She urged residents not to panic.
The ICIR observed heavily armed police units at strategic locations in the FCT on Friday, May 26.
Mobile police vans were also observed patrolling parts of the FCT metropolis.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.