Acting Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has directed commissioners of police across Nigeria to strengthen security arrangements amid rising geopolitical tensions linked to developments in the Middle East.
The directive was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, who said the measure forms part of preventive actions aimed at shielding the country from possible security repercussions arising from global events.
Disu assured Nigerians that the police remain fully committed to safeguarding lives and property, stressing that the nation’s internal security situation remains stable and under firm control.
According to the statement, commissioners of police in all 36 states and the federal capital territory (FCT) have been instructed — with special focus on the north-west, north-east, and north-central regions — “to heighten surveillance and intelligence gathering, strengthen collaboration with traditional and religious leaders, enhance visibility policing around worship centres and public spaces, and swiftly address any attempt by individuals or groups to exploit global developments to incite unrest or sectarian tension”.
The acting IGP explained that the move is intended to prevent the spillover of foreign ideological or religious conflicts into Nigeria.
“The Nigeria Police Force reiterates that Nigeria will not serve as a theatre for foreign conflicts. Any attempt to import external ideological or religious tensions into the country will be met with the full weight of the law,” the statement reads.
He further appealed to community and religious leaders to continue fostering unity and peaceful coexistence, while urging citizens to stay calm, remain vigilant, and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police authorities.
