In line with international best practice to drastically reduce crime, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered the immediate deployment of sniffer-dogs to the nation’s airports.
Abukakar explain that the idea was to provide and maintain safety and security of persons protect vulnerable and critical government infrastructures.
The police boss also pointed out that deploying sniffer-dogs to airports would reduce the possibility of arms smuggling through the airports and generally bolster the war against terror.
In a press statement from the Force Headquarters yesterday, Abubakar, who was represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, DIG Mike Zuokumor, disclosed this at the NnamdiAzikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Abubakar said that the sniffer dogs would be used for detecting explosives, rescue operations, perimeter patrols and apprehending offenders resisting or attempting to evade arrest.
He charged the dog handlers to respect the fundamental rights of the citizens and work in collaboration with other security agencies towards providing effective security at the airports.
The IGP also called for the cooperation of the general public, assuring them that the force would do all that was necessary to provide them with optimum security.
Meanwhile, the first phase of the deployment of the sniffer-dogs has commenced with the NnamdiAzikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Murtala Mohammed International Airport I and II, Lagos and Port-Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.