By Longtong Ibrahim
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Muhammadu, has directed the deployment of 40,000 personnel to beef-up security during the Eid-il-Fitr celebration across the country.
A statement by NSCDC’s head of Press and Public Relations, Emmanual Okeh noted that the Commandant-General made this known to newsmen during a media parley and breaking of fast at his residence in Abuja, on Saturday.
According to the statement, Mohammadu assured Nigerians that, in spite of the uncertain security situation in some parts of the country, adequate preparation have been made to protect critical areas such as prayer grounds, markets, and motor parks among other soft targets.
He however called on the public to be vigilant and security conscious at all times by reporting any strange movements and objects around them to the security personnel; noting also, that the NSCDC was prepared to protect all critical national assets such as telecommunication masts and oil pipelines among others in collaboration with other security agencies.
“In our efforts to fight miscreants and criminal-minded individuals who see festive periods as the time to perpetuate their nefarious activities, all hands must be on deck in the areas of intelligence-gathering and reporting all suspicious behavior to relevant security authorities.”
While felicitating with all Nigerians, especially the Muslims on the Sallah celebrations, he urged them to continue to imbibe the spirit of peaceful coexistence and tolerance at all times.