The police have said they will deploy dogs in Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to check the rate at which drugs are smuggled into the country.
The Police also said dogs would be deployed in motor parks in Borno State, mosques and checkpoints to curb the spread and use of IEDs by suicide bombers.
This was announced in Abuja yesterday by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris during launch of the K9 Dog Trailers deployment.
He said: “Now that we are facing security challenges, we have to deploy more of these dogs to Abuja and Lagos airport to address issues of drug smuggling.
“Also, they would be deployed to Muna garage in Borno state and checkpoints. The dogs will help us to identify destructive substances and also help in crowd control and other things.
Speaking also, the AIG in charge of Force Animal Branch, Charles Ugomuoh said theK9 dog trailers would be used to prevent crime and boost security.
The AIG explained that the acquisition of the K9 trailers is part of effort to use modern age technologies in crime fighting.
He said: “With the plan to temporarily close the Abuja airport, the K9 trailers will be deployed to the Abuja-Kaduna highway for crime control.
They would also deployed within Abuja metropolis to places Abuja International Airport, Force Headquarters, National Assembly, Defence College, Federal Secretariat and other key vulnerable areas and black spots.
“At the International airport, the K9 sniffers will be involved in the sniffing of IEDs, narcotics, arms, and ammunition and crime prevention and detection”.
On their role on crowd control, Ugomuoh said: “These trailers will be deployed to escorts peaceful protesters and processions and if any case the protesters become riotous, the K9 unit will quell the riot and the procession continues and normalcy restored.
The AIG, however, urged the IG to approve three Hilux vans for the pulling of the trailers for ease of operations.
