The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory Command, has mobilised 4,000 personnel to ensure the safety and security of residents during the upcoming Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
The NSCDC FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, announced the deployment, which will cover all parts of the FCT and aim to protect lives, property, and important national assets over the holiday season.
“The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Capital Territory Command, Olusola Odumosu, has ordered the deployment of 4000 personnel across the nooks and crannies of the FCT ahead of the Eid-Fitr celebrations.
“The deployment is in a bid to ensure security of lives and property as well as critical national assets and infrastructure in the FCT and its environs before, during and after the celebration,” the command spokesperson Monica Ojobi said in a statement on Thursday.
Officers from various units, including the Female Strike Force, Arms Squad, Operation Adkasu, Counter-Terrorism, and Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Explosives, will focus on securing vulnerable locations like prayer grounds, shopping malls, markets, recreational centres, and government buildings.
They will also pay special attention to areas like motor parks, amusement parks, and diplomatic offices.
In addition, clandestine operations and surveillance are already in progress, with undercover units monitoring potential security threats.
The NSCDC is also targeting areas known to harbour criminals, such as unfinished buildings that could represent a security risk.
Odumosu has urged all area commanders and divisional officers to keep their teams watchful and proactive.
“All hands must be on deck. I will not tolerate any form of breaches. Ensure you deploy your personnel adequately,” he said.
He highlighted the significance of remaining visible throughout the celebration time to avoid security breaches.
The Commandant also urged officers to work with other security agencies, maintain discipline, and respect residents’ rights while ensuring a safe and peaceful celebration for all.
Odumosu also urged locals to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
He reassured the public that NSCDC personnel are prepared to provide a safe environment and urged the community to do its part to keep the festivities safe.
Finally, the Commandant cautioned criminals against targeting important national infrastructure, saying that clandestine officers are continually monitoring the capital city and will take fast action against any offenders.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")