Mr Kayode Egbetokun, the Zone 7 Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), has directed the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command to step up stop and search operations.
On his familiarisation visit to the command on Wednesday in Abuja, Egbetokun issued the order.
However, he forbade the staff from using extortion in any way while the operation was underway.
To provide adequate security in the FCT, according to the AIG, local communities should be included.
Egbetokun urged the staff to cooperate in order to restore professionalism to policing and guarantee resource use.
According to the AIG, upholding and promoting human rights is at the core of police work, and every crime constitutes a violation of someone's freedom.
He claimed that because contemporary policing is intelligence-led, community-based, and technology-driven, officers and men should put more effort into developing their minds and enhancing visible policing.
The AIG predicted that the recent deployment of recently graduated recruit constables will significantly improve the nation's policing.
He urged the command to maintain its strategic alliance with other security organisations and key stakeholders.
“We must improve traffic control within the FCT. Traffic officers must be on their toes to ensure traffic flows within the FCT.
“We must reinvigorate stop and search, effectively man black spots and sustain the present tempo in a raid of criminal hideouts.
“Scavenging has been banned within the FCT and we must not allow them to continue to operate,” he added.
In his remark, the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the FCT, Mr Sadiq Abubakar said the command had developed and implemented operational strategies to combat crime.
He said the development was in compliance with the vision and mission of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Baba.
The CP said the operational policies and strategies had led to the arrest of 18 armed robbery suspects and the recovery of 1,159 exhibits, including arms and ammunition of various calibres.
He said motor vehicles and motorcycles, illicit drugs and other harmful weapons were among the exhibits recovered.
He said 24 kidnapped victims were rescued by the command and reunited with their families.
“The FCT command under my leadership is committed to ensuring that the policing ideals of the I-G, which have been effectively canvassed by the AIG, are clearly and without doubt exemplified in the command.
“Similarly, one of the foremost mandates of the command is to deliberately entrench modern policing standards, particularly respect for the Rule of Law and the Fundamental Rights of all citizens.
“I hereby restate the unalloyed dedication of myself and my team to ensuring that the impact of the policies and operational directives of the AIG, and by extension the IGP, is vigorously pursued,” he said. (NAN)