About 5,000 policemen will provide security during the inauguration of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar�Adua as president on Tuesday.
The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory Command, Mr. Lawrence Alobi, made this known on Thursday just as the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, put Alobi�s colleagues in the 36 states of the federation on the alert.
Alobi, who spoke in Abuja, added that police dogs, helicopters, patrol vehicles and motorcycles, would also be deployed, especially in Eagle Square, the venue of the inauguration.
The 5,000 men will comprise escorts, mounted troops, crowd control operatives and riot policemen.
He said the command had beefed up security on all roads leading to the FCT, including hotels and black spots to ensure a hitch-free ceremony.
According to him, operatives from other security agencies would be involved in providing security in the FCT.
He said, �There are threats to disrupt the inauguration from some quarters and we are not taking these threats lightly.
�We have mobilised our men and I believe we have the logistics to perform wonderfully.�
He advised those planning to stage protests to apply for permit at least 48 hours in advance in accordance with the Public Order Act.
Alobi urged FCT residents and visitors to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the inauguration.
He added, �We should be happy that we are transiting from one civilian government to another.
�It is a history-making event for the country and democracy. This is the first time we are witnessing such an event in the history of this country.�
Alobi disclosed that the command had tightened security in the FCT ahead of the ceremony.
Before Alobi spoke, the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Haz Iwendi, said that Ehindero had directed the police chiefs in the 36 states to mobilise adequate manpower and logistics to ensure a hitch-free handover in their respective commands.
He said that each command would mobilise at least 2,000 officers and men, in addition to detectives, to beef up security before, during and after the handing over ceremony.
The FPRO said that no form of demonstration or procession would be allowed without police permit, and that troublemakers would be arrested and prosecuted.
He said that riot policewomen would be deployed to handle demonstrators.
In the FCT, Iwendi said that four helicopters, water canon, armoured personnel carriers, anti-riot and crowd control operatives would be deployed to ensure the safety of lives and property during the ceremony.
Iwendi also said that some major roads in the FCT would be closed and while some routes would be diverted.Only designated vehicles, he said, would have access to the Eagle Square.
He said, �We will not take any chances. No permit for any form of demonstration will be granted until after the inauguration.
�We have prepared our men both physically and psychologically for the event.�
It was also learnt in Lagos on Thursday that the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria project might be deployed for the monitoring of air traffic during the ceremony.
According to sources within the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, plans were under way to use the TRACON base at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos as back-up for existing radars.
Although TRACON, which is almost completed, does not have primary radar, one of the sources explained that with the level of work done, the project could be used for monitoring air traffic, especially in the southern part of the country.
He said, �As it is now, the only aspect of the work that TRACON cannot do is to pick the weight of the aircraft and the height. Any other aspect of monitoring and signal can be effectively done by TRACON.�
The project was inaugurated in 2002 but abandoned for about 15 months before the Minister of State for Air Transportation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, revived it.
The project, which includes the installation of primary radar at four airports, cost �66,500,870m.