Police in Lagos and Ogun states said they have placed their operatives on red alert to avoid possible attack by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its Eastern Security Network.
This followed rumours that the eastern group agitating for Biafra plans to attack Lagos.
Meanwhile, IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, had debunked the claim in a tweet.
Also, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo had said the claim was to pitch Yoruba and Igbo citizens against each other.
However, secret police operatives are said to have been positioned in strategic places.
Our correspondent gathered that undercover police had been placed at critical infrastructure and institutions as well as areas with a high population of people from the eastern part of the country and motor parks in Lagos.
A statement by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, during a security summit chaired by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the police have commenced an investigation into threats by the IPOB members.
According to the CP, “I want to assure members of the public that inasmuch as we don’t work on rumours, at the same time we don’t disregard them. When we got the intelligence report all the stakeholders in the security industry were sensitised.
“Residents, including landlord associations, were also sensitised. Self-security consciousness is the best; if you observe something that is abnormal in a place, you take precaution.
“We have enlightened residents and landlord associations about self-security consciousness. In conjunction with the state Ministry of Education, we also organised a series of lectures, where I had interactive sessions with all the proprietors of public and private schools with boarding facilities.”
Odumosu stated that the command had also held a summit with relevant stakeholders to strengthen security around the borders and the riverside communities, adding that the command was also working with the Ogun State Police Command to secure border towns of the two states.
The CP said, “During the summit, many contributions came up and we have empowered our marine police. It is only Ogun State that we share water and land boundaries with. We have moved round to all the borders of Lagos and Ogun states, and we have a synergy with the Ogun State Police Command.”
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, said the state has beefed up serious security in the state to prevent any planned attack
According to him, this is necessary due to the state’s proximity to Lagos.
He said, “Generally, we have on the ground what I call adequate measures directed towards containing all forms of crimes and our measures include surveillance in areas we think are vulnerable, including highways, public institutions, buildings and individuals, who are exposed to high risk of security like politicians, private businessmen, schools, farms, banking institutions and other financial institutions.
“We have a security template that is directed towards ensuring adequate security of these areas. On the issue of IPOB, I won’t say I have not heard that information as it is flying around in the social media, it should suffice to say that we have our measures to curtail this kind of crime and we are watching very closely.”