By Egena Sunday Ode
The newly inaugurated Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, said Wednesday that the Nigeria Police Force is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East amid and taking preemptive measures to forestall any break down of law and order in the country.
Disu’s reaction came amid concerns that tensions in the region could have repercussions in Nigeria.
He spoke with journalists shortly after taking the oath of office administered by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,
Disu noted that Nigeria’s security agencies are aware that some religious groups in the country maintain ideological affiliations with movements in the Middle East, making it necessary for authorities to remain vigilant whenever tensions escalate in that region.
“That is what we call the territory. Our ears are on the ground. We know that we have different Islamic sects in Nigeria, and some of them pay allegiance to the eastern part of the world,” he said.
According to him, any significant development in the Middle East could trigger reactions locally, stressing that the police were already taking precautionary steps to prevent possible unrest.
“We know that if anything happens in that part of the world, the repercussions could come here. So we are putting all necessary actions in place,” Disu added.
The police chief said officers had been deployed on patrol across strategic locations while security agencies were also engaging religious and community leaders to ensure that individuals or groups do not resort to violence or take the laws into their own hands.
“You can see policemen on patrol, and most importantly, we are talking to them to ensure that they do not take laws into their hands,” he said.
The new Police boss also cautioned Nigerians against spreading unverified information capable of causing panic or undermining public safety, particularly on social media.
He emphasised that misinformation could create unnecessary fear and complicate the work of security agencies, urging citizens to verify information before sharing it and to rely on official channels for accurate updates.
The IGP called on the public to support ongoing security operations by providing timely and credible intelligence to the police and other security agencies.
He further reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to strengthening intelligence gathering, community engagement and strategic partnerships to sustain peace and stability nationwide.
On police reforms, Disu expressed support for the ongoing national conversation on the creation of state police, noting that the initiative could help strengthen grassroots security architecture if properly structured.
He also assured that the welfare of officers and men would remain a top priority of his leadership, stressing that improved working conditions, motivation and professionalism were essential to enhancing the effectiveness of the force.
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