Nationwide Protest: Maritime police strengthens security, assures of safety on waterways, coastal communities

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Maritime Command, Olofu Adetutu Rhoda, has urged strategic leaders and field officers of the command to ensure robust security measures are in place to protect the nation’s ports, harbours, waterways, and coastal communities during the purported nationwide peaceful protest.

Expressed concern over possible hijack by hoodlums who would want to capitalize on it to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens.

Speaking in her office at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos on Wednesday, AIG Rhoda charged the strategic leaders and field officers of the command comprising officers of the Ports Authority Police, Western Command, Apapa, Eastern Command, Port Harcourt, The National Inland Waterways Police, Lokoja and the Marine Police personnel to ensure that watertight security is emplaced to curtail all acts of Vandalisation of the nation’s critical infrastructures within the maritime domain by hoodlums.

In a press release signed by ASP Ehinmode Rowland, Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), Maritime Police Command, made available to Nation Update online the AIG further directed officers to ensure adequate manpower for the safety of all coastal communities, ports, habours, inland and navigable waterways.

She cautioned officers against working averse their rules of engagement. “Officers and men should ensure that their conducts before, during and after the nationwide protest are professional and in line with the rules of engagement,” she stated.