Police Secure First Niger Bridge Diversion Routes

AWKA — The Anambra State Police Command has deployed a Police-led Joint Security Team to strategic locations around the First Niger Bridge and diversionary routes following the temporary closure of the bridge to vehicular traffic for maintenance works.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, personally led heads of sister security agencies and other strategic security commanders on an on-the-spot assessment of the bridge, adjoining areas and identified diversionary routes on Monday.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka.

Ikenga said the assessment was aimed at identifying potential security, traffic and public-safety challenges arising from the closure and putting proactive measures in place to mitigate them.

He said the Joint Security Team had consequently been deployed to strategic locations around the bridge, diversionary routes and other critical points to maintain security, support traffic management and prevent criminal elements from exploiting the situation.

According to him, the deployment is also aimed at ensuring safe, orderly and unhindered movement of motorists, commuters and pedestrians while preventing traffic obstruction, congestion, harassment, opportunistic criminality and other security breaches.

Ikenga said Ama had further directed all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Tactical Commanders within the affected areas to maintain heightened operational alertness, intensified patrols and sustained visibility.

He said the officers had also been directed to ensure seamless coordination with sister security agencies throughout the period of the maintenance works.

The PPRO said the command would continue to closely monitor developments around the affected routes and respond promptly to emerging security or traffic challenges.

He quoted the commissioner as urging residents, motorists, commuters and businesses to remain calm, cooperate with security and traffic personnel, obey diversionary routes and traffic directives, and report suspicious persons, activities or security concerns to the nearest security formation.

The Police said the Federal Government’s temporary closure of the First Niger Bridge was to enable emergency maintenance and rehabilitation works, with motorists advised to use alternative routes during the intervention.

The command said it remained committed to maintaining public safety, securing critical infrastructure and ensuring the free flow of human and vehicular movement throughout the period of the bridge closure.

It urged members of the public to cooperate with security personnel and other traffic-management agencies to minimise disruptions and ensure the safety of all road users.