The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the strategic deployment of police personnel and operational assets nationwide to ensure a safe, peaceful, and crime-free Christmas and New Year celebration.

According to a statement signed by the Force spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin, the IGP directed all Zonal AIGs and State Command CPs to intensify patrols, visibility policing, intelligence-led operations, and confidence-building engagements throughout the period.

In line with the Force’s proactive security strategy for the festive season, specialised units, including the Police Mobile Force, Counter-Terrorism Unit, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Command, Intelligence Response Team, Special Tactical Squad, Special Intervention Squad, Highway Patrol, Marine Police, and the Airwing, have been placed on heightened operational readiness.
The statement reads, “The deployment also focuses on places of worship, recreational centres, markets, parks, event venues, transport terminals, highways, critical national infrastructure, and other high-density public spaces.

“Additional patrol teams and surveillance units have also been activated to cover inter-state routes and major expressways to prevent road-related crimes, traffic disorder, and accidents. The deployed officers have been charged to be firm but courteous in the discharge of their duties.”

Egbetokun further directed all Commands to sustain raids on identified blackspots, forests, criminal hideouts, and flashpoints, as well as strengthen collaboration with other security agencies and community stakeholders to ensure holistic security coverage.

While wishing all Nigerians a joyful Christmas and a prosperous New Year ahead, the IGP urges citizens to remain vigilant, celebrate responsibly, and report all suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through available emergency lines.

Egbetokun assures Nigerians of the steadfast devotion of the Nigeria Police Force to ensuring a joyous Yuletide season and beyond in an atmosphere of peace,

The Federal Capital Territory Command accounts for the highest number of personnel affected by the exercise, with 121 officers listed for mobilisation.

Egbetokun, approved the mobilisation of over 700 police officers across the 36 state commands of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and the Police Mobile Force (PMF) to the Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU).

The Nigerian Army, police, and other security agencies continue to grapple with terrorism, banditry, and a surge in crimes such as kidnapping perpetrated by non-state actors and other criminal elements.

The approval was conveyed in an internal police signal dated December 18, 2025, issued by the Department of Finance and Administration (Welfare), Force Headquarters, Abuja, and circulated to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, Commissioners of Police, and other senior officers nationwide.

The signal, titled “Mobilization/Demobilization In/Out of Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU)”, stated that “the Inspector-General of Police has approved the mobilization of the following Inspectors, Rank and File from/to Commands/Formations as indicated against their names.”

The mobilisation signal was signed by CP Usman K. Jibrin, Commissioner of Police (Welfare), Department of Finance and Administration, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

According to the document, the Federal Capital Territory Command accounts for the highest number of personnel affected by the exercise, with 121 officers listed for mobilisation.

Across the states, Abia Command is to release 15 officers; Adamawa, 11; Akwa Ibom, 24; Anambra, nine; Bauchi, 23; Bayelsa, 13; Benue, 26; Borno, 34; and Cross River,14.

The signal further listed Delta Command with five officers; Ebonyi, 23; Edo, four; Ekiti, 11; Enugu, one; Gombe, 43; Imo, 14; Jigawa, 17; Kaduna, 16; Kano, 23; Katsina, nine; Kebbi, five; and Kogi, 24.

Also affected are Kwara Command with 17 officers, Lagos, three; Nasarawa, 26; Niger, 36; Ogun, 13; Ondo, seven; Osun, eight; Oyo, 19; Plateau, 19; Rivers, 17; Sokoto, seven; Taraba, 22; Yobe, 18; and Zamfara, 15.

Beyond the state commands and the FCT, the mobilisation exercise also covers officers attached to zonal formations. These include one officer each drawn from Zone 1 Kano, Zone 3 Yola, Zone 4 Makurdi, Zone 9 Umuahia, Zone 12 Bauchi, and Zone 13 Ukpo, Awka, as detailed in the signal.

The document was addressed to several senior formations within the Force, including the Department of Operations, Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Federal Operations, and zonal and state headquarters nationwide, underscoring the scale of the deployment.

Affected commands were instructed to “warn and release subjects to proceed accordingly.