The Oyo State Police Command says it has initiated 24 hours surveillance in the state to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the Coronavirus pandemic to unleash terror on the citizens.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi, in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Ibadan, said men and officers of the command had been placed on alert.
“We have deployed officers and men to strategic locations within the state to clampdown on hoodlums who might have plans to commit crime during this period,’’ Fadeyi said.
The PPRO said that the command would not fold its hands and allow criminals to perpetrate their evil acts during the lockdown, especially with Easter celebration approaching.
“We have deployed convoy patrol, which comprises the police and other sister agencies, Eagle patrol of the Commissioner of Police, quick response squad, among others to move round the state to monitor the activities of the hoodlums.
“I urge the good people of Oyo State to make use of the police control room number whenever there is any distress call.
“The call will enable the police deployed in different locations within the state to respond quickly because they cannot be everywhere,”Fadeyi said.
The command’s spokesman said that the police in the state had recorded some incidents of attacks in some communities within the state recently and had responded adequately to it.
He said that crime could not be totally eradicated, but only reduced to the barest minimum.
According to him, what the police is responding to at this period of Coronavirus pandemic is serious crimes like armed robbery among others.
Fadeyi said that those arrested for such offences were kept in Police custody while some other suspects were still undergoing investigation at various departments of the command.
On strategies adopted to protect the officers and men from contracting the virus as they perform their duties, the police spokesman said face masks and sanitisers had been provided for them.
“The officers now use nose masks, sanitisers and wash their hands regularly with soap to prevent them from contracting the virus.
“People coming around the command are also mandated to wash their hands with soap and use sanitisers to prevent the spread of the virus,”Fadeyi said. (NAN)