By Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul
Security agencies have assured residents that the heightened deployment of personnel and the erection of barricades across parts of Abuja are preventive measures aimed at maintaining public order amid a rise in protest activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The clarification was made on Thursday during a joint media briefing by security and intelligence agencies, following growing public concern over the heavy security presence and the resulting traffic disruptions across the city.
In recent days, security operatives have mounted checkpoints and barricades at key locations within the capital, causing significant delays for motorists, civil servants, and other commuters travelling to and from work.
Addressing journalists, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, dismissed speculation that the deployment was prompted by any specific security threat.
“It is a joint operation. There is no cause for alarm at the moment,” he said.
Iniedu explained that the operation is a coordinated effort by security agencies to ensure that ongoing and future protests remain peaceful while safeguarding lives, property, and critical public infrastructure.
“We’ve noticed an upsurge in protests within the city centre, and we’re carrying out our constitutional responsibility of maintaining law and order. The deployments are strategic movements of personnel across key locations to ensure the city remains safe,” he said.
He stressed that Abuja’s status as Nigeria’s seat of government demands a proactive security approach, noting that the Federal Capital Territory houses the Presidency, the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, diplomatic missions, international organisations, and other strategic institutions.
According to him, protecting these critical assets and ensuring uninterrupted public order remain top priorities for security agencies.
The police spokesman urged residents and visitors to remain calm, cooperate with security personnel, and continue their lawful activities, assuring them that the heightened presence is purely preventive and not a signal of any imminent security threat.
The briefing comes as many Abuja residents continue to express frustration over traffic congestion and delays caused by the security barricades on major roads across the city.
