The FCT Police Commissioner,?Mr?Micheal Zuokumor, has said that Abuja and its environs is peaceful and that people can go about their businesses without fear.
Zuokumor, said in Abuja on Monday that the security situation in the FCT had improved since Thursdays' SMS message threatening an impending war.
He described the message as a hoax and said that it was intended to cause panic amoung the people.
However, an unidentified group had on Thursday, sent an SMS message announcing an imminent war between religions groups in the country.
The FCT Police boss also commended the effective policing of the FCT by his men and other security agencies during the strike and demonstrations.
Zuokumor also said that?the unusual security thrown around the three-arm-zone and the Federal Secretariat was part of security arrangement to forestall any negative development from miscreants.?
He said that it would stop miscreants from hijacking the fuel subsidy removal strike, and demonstrations.
The commissioner said that?he felt?elated by the role played by the security agencts,?who had spent sleepless nights to secure the country from sliding into chaos.
He said he had personally received several commendations from well-meaning Nigerians, who appreciated the role of the police command in securing the FCT during the crisis.
The police boss also praised the role of Nigeria media and other patriotic news organisations?for their balanced report and information management during the crisis.
He praised the Nigeria Labour Congress, for its wise decision to stop further demonstrations on the fuel subsidy removal and rather adopt the sit at home approach.?
He said that with the new price regime announced by President Goodluck Jonathan, it was expected that normalcy would return to the country.??
Meanwhile, security around the Federal Secretariat and other government buildings in Abuja is?tight.
It is friendly, but stern looking security agents, comprising the army, police, Nigeria Defence and Civil?Defence Corps stood guard in the various offices.
However,?business activities within Lagos metropolis remained paralysed as most markets, banks and fillings stations closed shops.
Our correspondent, who monitored activities in parts of Lagos on Monday reports that all banks along Ikorodu Road, Somolu, Mushin, Bariga, Akoka and Fadeyi axis were closed.
Major marketers within the areas also closed shops, while majority of the ATM cash points in the area were not dispensing cash.
However, street trading is ongoing in some locations within the local government areas, while some shops within the streets opened for business.
A check at some of the PHCN offices in Onipan, Ifako and Ikorodu showed that workers were not at work, but that the securitymen manned the gates.?
There was high level of police and military presence along major roads in parts of Lagos metropolis, while most major streets were engaged by street football players.
In the FCT,?banks did not open for business in spite of the suspension of street protest by the organised labour in the country.
The correspondents,?who monitored the situation on Monday, report that the entrances of the banks were locked and?security operatives manned the premises.
Most of the Automated Teller Machines (ATM) either had no money or were not functioning.
At Area 8, UBA, Zenith and FCMB, with cash in their ATMs, had few customers, who came to make withdrawals from?them.
Private security operatives at Fidelity and First Bank told NAN that “our ATM is not working. They are working on the ATM?now. You may check other branches to make your withdrawal.''?
In banks in Area?3, of Abuja, most of the ATMs were not working and some customers were seen coming and going out in search cash.?