Police IG visits Abuja-Kaduna expressway, orders deployment of more personnel

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, has visited the dreaded Kaduna-Abuja expressway.

The police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

The IGP’s visit comes days after terrorists rigged the tracks of the Abuja-Kaduna rail lines with explosives, causing damage to the Kaduna bound train, while also shooting at the passengers on board the train.

At least eight people were confirmed killed in the attack while others are still missing, according to the Kaduna State Government.

The incident occurred on Monday evening a few days after the Kaduna airport’s security was breached.

After the attack on the train, travellers resorted to using the Kaduna-Abuja expressway despite security challenges associated with the road.

The IGP who also visited the scene of the railway blast, directed the immediate deployment of operatives drawn from the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Forces (SF), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the Special Tactical Squad (STS), as well as airwing operatives in charge of unmanned aerial vehicles of the Nigeria Police Force.

Mr Alkali equally visited personnel of the Armed Forces and Police deployed at Rijana to secure technical crew of the Nigeria Railway Corporation undertaking repair works at the damaged train coaches and rail line in the axis, to boost their morale and assess the state of their post.

Read full statement:

PRESS RELEASE

BANDITRY: IGP PATROLS ABUJA KADUNA EXPRESSWAY

• Deploys Heavily Armed Tactical Squads, UAVs

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, today patrolled the entire 163km stretch of the Abuja-Kaduna expressway for hands-on assessment of the security challenges and to personally supervise the operational deployment of officers drawn from the Police tactical squads to ensure the safety of travellers along the route.

In the course of the patrol, the IGP mapped out some salient and strategic points along the express which were immediately fortified with the deployment of operatives drawn from the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Forces (SF), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the Special Tactical Squad (STS), as well as airwing operatives in charge of unmanned aerial vehicles of the Nigeria Police Force.

During the patrol, IGP Alkali equally visited personnel of the Armed Forces and Police deployed at Rijana to secure technical crew of the Nigeria Railway Corporation undertaking repair works at the damaged train coaches and rail line in the axis, to boost their morale and assess the state of their post.

The Inspector-General of Police assures that with the strategic and operational deployment of officers along the route, normalcy would once again be restored while he tasked members of the public on active intelligence sharing with Law Enforcement Agencies for effective policing of all spaces.

CSP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra

Ag. FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FORCE HEADQUARTERS

ABUJA

APRIL 2nd, 2022