Date: 2017-04-14

AHEAD of the Easter celebrations on Sunday and Monday, security agencies in Kwara State have deployed a total of 6,500 officers to endure hitch-free celebration in the state. The agencies, which comprised officers and men of the Nigerian Pilot Force, Federal Road Safety Corps and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, warned residents of the state to shun violence before, during and after the celebration.

They advised the people of the state to shun reckless driving, drunkenness, over loading of vehicles, acrobatic motor cycle display and use of fireworks during and after the Easter celebration. Speaking to the Nigerian Pilot on Thursday in Ilorin, the spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi disclosed that the command would deploy 2000 policemen during the festivity.

Okasanmi, who said police officers would be on surveillance, added that the command had put in place strategies to ensure adequate protection of lives and properties during the celebration across the state. Also speaking, the spokesperson of the NSCDC, Kwara State Command, Mr. Kadri Olanrewaju said his command would deploy no fewer than 2000 personnel for the festivity, adding that the NSCDC personnel would also mount surveillance across the state during the celebration.

He appealed to the residents of the state to eschew violence and urged them to be vigilant, adding that they should report any suspicious movement in their environment to the security agencies.

The state's sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Sunday Maku also disclosed that a total of 2,500 of his members would be deployed on roads in all the 16 local government areas of the state. Maku, who cautioned drivers and other road users in the state to shun overloading and reckless driving and speeding, warned them against alcoholic consumption while driving.