Inspector General (IG) of Police, Ogbonna Onovo, on Wednesday said it was not possible for Al-Queda or any terrorist organisation to operate in Nigeria.

"Nigeria has zero tolerance policy towards all forms of terrorism and terrorist acts," Onovo was quoted as saying in a statement in Abuja by the Police Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police.

"The Nigerian people, Nigerian parents, Nigerian guardians, Nigerian families, Nigerian communities and the Nigerian government cannot brook terrorist acts in any shape," Onovo said.

He added that though terrorism has never been an issue in the country, "it is far-sighted of the police leadership that it has established an Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), which works closely with our intelligence officers all over the nation.

"ATS officers have received the best training available in the world and are, therefore, equal to the task of not only routing terrorists anywhere they rear their ugly head in the country but also taking proactive measures to stop them from ever considering Nigeria a breeding ground or an operational base or even for an ephemeral action."

The police issued the statement against the backdrop of the arrest of 23-year-old Nigerian, Farouk Abdulmuttallib, in the United States for an unsuccessful attempt on Christmas day to blow up a Delta| North West Airliner descending into Detroit Airport from Amsterdam with 273 passengers and 11 crew members.

On whether AndulMuttallib was working in concert with some other Nigerian nationals, the statement said the "suspect was certainly working with non-Nigerians".

"The young man must have been brainwashed and indoctrinated abroad, not here. He has lived much of his life abroad.

"Ours is a pluralistic society. Our 140 million people have long imbibed the philosophy of live-and-let-live as an article of faith.