The Lagos State Police Command on Friday said it had put adequate security measures in place for football viewing centres in Nigeria during the World Cup which kicked off on Thursday.
The Spokesperson for the command, DSP Ngozi Braide, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there would be regular patrols in all areas during night matches.
“We have tight security for all the viewing centres known to us, this includes hotels, restaurants and some open viewing centres.
“There are other football viewing centres not so popular in various neighbourhood, we advise that the operators must watch everyone coming into the centre.
“If they have metal detectors for screening, they should use it for the safety of everybody. If they discover any strange object, they should call the police.
“If there is any suspicious person or movement, they should call the police,” she said.
Braide said there had been meetings between the command and the hotel owners on ways to
ensure security in and around the hotels.
“In the last few months, we have met with the hotels management; we have plain clothed personnel on surveillance in all hotels in the state.
“We use this medium to advise members of the public against any kind of violence during and after football matches.
“No body should foment trouble because your team is loosing or winning the game.
“We should watch each match with the spirit of sportsmanship. We should also be conscious of our security,’’ Braide advised.
The 20th FIFA World Cup opened on Thursday night in Brazil, with the host defeating Croatia 3-1.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are competing with other 31 countries for the prestigious cup and will open their campaign for honour in the tournament on June 16 with a game against Iran in Group F. (NAN)