By UCHENNA ELETUO

Security operatives have assured Lagos residents of safety of lives and property during Christmas and New Year celebrations.

They urged the residents to volunteer information that would aid their operations.

The operatives include those of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Fire Service.

They gave the assurance at a workshop organised in Lagos by a non-profit organisation, New Horizons for Peace and Charity (NHFPC) initiative.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was aimed at charting the way for improved security and safety.

An NSCDC representative, Adenike Adijat-Adisa, said that no fewer than 3,500 operatives of the corps had been deployed to ensure security at Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Adijat-Adisa, the Amuwo Odofin Divisional Officer of the corps, frowned at non-chalant attitude to public infrastructure by some Lagos residents.

She urged the residents to watch over critical national assets to prevent vandalism.

?Infrastructure such as transformers are there to provide electricity to our communities. That aids productivity and gives comfort to homes.

?Security is everyone business but when people are unconcerned about public infrastructure around them, if such is vandalised, it will negatively impact on the people.

?It is our social obligation to inform operatives of any danger to critical infrastructure to enable them to act in time,? she said.

The officer said that NSCDC had the power to arrest, detain and prosecute.

She warned people against vandalism of public infrastructure, saying that anyone caught would be punished.

A representative of the police at the event, CSP. Ibrahim Ningi, said that the police were committed to serving Nigerians and would continue to ensure law and order.

Ningi, attached to Area E Command of the police command in Lagos State, appealed to the residents to volunteer useful information to aid police operations.

According to him, those that perpetrate crimes in the society live among the people.

?They are not spirits, people know them; so, it is pertinent that people assist police with information to nip crimes in the bud.

?To foster adequate security especially at yuletide, the police have beamed its searchlight on communities,? he said.

He praised NHFPC for organising the workshop, saying that it was in line with the mandate of the inspector-general of police to provide watertight security.

Earlier, the workshop Convener and NHFPC President, Mr Uche Udungwor, said that the workshop was borne out of the desire to raise citizens? consciousness on security.

Udungwor said that proactive approach should be deployed to check violence and other vices.

Udungwor urged security operatives to mount surveillance at worship centres and other public places such as parks and malls to avoid attacks during the festive period.

?NHFPC is a non-profit organisation with focus on security advancement and rehabilitation of survivors of violent attacks.

?The organisation has donated bags of rice, clothes and toiletries to victims of attacks in Kaduna and Plateau states in the last three months,? he said. (NAN)

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