CP Aderemi Adeoye, commissioner of police in Anambra, has called on residents of the state to stay calm as the command will increase its patrol in response to an expected surge of activities during Christmas.

Mr Adeoye told journalists in Awka on Monday that the measure was with the aim of ensuring that people of the state celebrated the Christmas and New Year festivities in a peaceful and secure environment.

He said the command was working in robust collaboration with the communities and other sister agencies, including the Army, Navy, State Security Service, Civil Defence, NDLEA, Immigration, Correctional Service, and the Federal Road Safety Commission.

He said there would not be any major change in the security arrangement as the deployment on the ground was working and meeting the challenges of the time.

“People may witness increased patrols and a few preventive deployments at flashpoints and black spots. Nothing drastic will change, but there will be a strike force on the ground so that anybody who tries to test our will will get what they want.

“We have a platform where we share intelligence and information, discuss operations and generally coordinate, so the relationship is robust.

“The partnership with the communities and community vigilante groups have yielded tremendous success; the security system in Anambra is proactive, preventive and functional,” he said.

Mr Adeoye advised residents to be vigilant and report suspicious development expeditiously as security was and remained everybody’s business.

He said people should plan their trips early in order to get to their destinations in good time and not move unnecessarily at night unless it was unavoidable.

According to him, a lot of things happen under the cover of darkness.

“The earlier we get information about untoward happenings, the faster we can respond and prevent the situation from degenerating.

“The idea of ‘it is not my business because it is not happening to me’, should not be the attitude.

“People should feel free to celebrate; it is Christmas, and this is wishing all the people and residents of Anambra a merry Christmas,” he said.

(NAN)