by S’ola Filani

The Nigerian Police has said there is a ‘credible’ in­telligence infor­mation, indicating that terrorists are plotting to carry out fresh attacks in the Abuja motor parks.

Police Spokesman, Frank Mba, Assistant Commission­er of Police (ACP), said in a statement released on Saturday, that the attacks, which are intended to cause panic amongst Abuja resi­dents and visitors alike are to be perpetrated through sui­cide bombings or through the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) concealed in luggage, bags, cans, and other receptacles.

He said the police, there­fore, while ordering Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Com­missioner of Police in par­ticular and other Commis­sioners in adjoining states to beef up security at major parks around Abuja and its environs, enjoined the pub­lic, particularly those within and outside the FCT, Abuja to be vigilant and report any suspicious persons, objects, movements or activities to the Security Forces without delay.

Also, Mba said the po­lice enjoined citizens not to panic as the security forces are working round the clock to neutralize and effectively deal with the threat.

He said, “As part of ad­ditional efforts at forestalling the attacks and strengthening security around the trans­port sector, the Police High Command has called on the management of Motor-parks to ensure that travelers and workers’ safety comes first.

“It charges them to con­stantly conduct regular and routine scanning of their en­vironments while insisting on carrying out a thorough search on passengers and their bags as well as vehicles entering and leaving their parks.

“It also advises that such searches must have the ac­tive participation of the pas­sengers involved and warns that any item or luggage un­accompanied by any passen­ger must be rejected outright and should not be allowed into the vehicle. Passengers are also enjoined to be on the lookout for any passen­ger, who might come in with luggage but will attempt to disembark without such lug­gage”, the statement read in part.

While operators of motor parks are strongly advised to discourage overnight parking of vehicles at motor parks, particularly by unknown per­sons, the Police authorities further advised motor park workers to reduce congestion at the parks by disallowing the indiscriminate parking of private cars, tricycles and motorcycles at the precincts of motor parks.

Besides, the Police ad­vised that the general pub­lic in other places outside the motor parks should also monitor their environments as the terrorists may likely shift attention having known that their plots have been un­covered.