The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced the deployment of robust, proactive measures to prevent attacks during the Christmas festivities across Nigeria.
In a statement on Sunday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, said the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), in collaboration with other security agencies, had intensified operations in identified vulnerable areas nationwide.
According to him, additional troops have been deployed to strategic locations and major routes, while special forces units and air support elements have been placed on high alert to ensure rapid response.
Onoja said surveillance activities, including aerial monitoring and intelligence gathering, had been heightened to track the movement and communication patterns of suspected criminal groups. He added that unit commanders had been directed to strengthen patrols, establish fortified checkpoints, and sustain close collaboration with community leaders, local vigilante groups, and state security formations.
The DHQ reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ commitment to protecting lives and property, stressing that national security and stability remain top priorities as Nigerians prepare to celebrate Christmas.
Onoja also urged citizens to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by promptly reporting suspicious activities, assuring that all reports would be treated with urgency and confidentiality. He conveyed Christmas and New Year greetings from the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. O.O. Oluyede, and encouraged wide dissemination of the advisory.
Similarly, the Rivers State Police Command announced enhanced security measures for the Yuletide season, with tactical units deployed to waterways, recreational centres, and other identified hotspots across the state.
The command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the initiative forms part of a comprehensive security framework aimed at providing visible policing, strengthening surveillance, and enabling rapid response to potential threats.
She said the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, had directed area commanders and divisional police officers to ensure strategic deployments at entry and exit points, motor parks, hotels, churches, mosques, and other public places, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
The police command also emphasized community engagement, working closely with traditional rulers, youth organisations, and religious leaders to promote early intelligence sharing and prevent incidents during the festive period.
Residents were advised to take personal safety precautions, secure their homes, supervise children, and promptly report suspicious behaviour.
Iringe-Koko reaffirmed the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property before, during, and after the celebrations, while extending Christmas and New Year greetings to residents of the state.