Date: 2021-05-12

The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State, Mr Paul Ayeni, said the corps had deployed 2,000 personnel ahead of the Eid-el Fitr celebrations in the state.

In an interview with The Tide source yesterday in Lagos, Ayeni assured residents of safety of their lives, property and other infrastructure throughout the state.

The NSCDC boss promised that all the dark spots would be properly monitored to ensure that miscreants did not take advantage of the break to foment trouble. Eid-el-Fitr, also called the "Festival of Breaking the Fast" is a religious observance by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of 30 days dawn-to-sunset fasting called Ramadan.

The Federal Government had declared Wednesday, May 12, and Thursday, May 13 as public holidays to enable the Muslim faithful to celebrate the festivities. Ayeni warned hoodlums, who would plan to use the festive periods to perpetrate evils to desist as the Corps was ready to tackle their menace.

According to him, the Corps will make the state security tight and impregnable by miscreants trying to damage the country's image.

Similarly, the NSCDC, Ondo State Command, says it has deployed 1,855 personnel to beef-up security during the Eid-el-fitr celebrations.

This was contained in a statement signed by the State Commandant, Mr Edenabu Eweka and made available to newsmen yesterday in Akure.

Eweka said that the personnel had been deployed to all identified flash points in the state to forestall incidents of crime during the celebration for which the Federal Government declared May 12 and May 13 as public

He also urged the personnel to respect the fundamental human rights of people and adhere to the rules of engagement while discharging their duties.

"The state command is in absolute compliance with the directive of the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to enhance qualitative service delivery," he said.

The commandant explained that the officers and men at the Local Government Level had been duly briefed on the need to be proactive in gathering credible intelligence and to ensure swift response to emergencies.

Eweka said that the critical national assets and infrastructure unit, counter terrorist unit, intelligence and investigation unit, agro rangers squad, antihuman trafficking, illegal migration and gender unit were all deployed to provide adequate security.

Also, the Corps has deployed 1,750 personnel to provide security during the coming Eid-el-fitr celebration in Niger.

The Commandant of the Corps in the state, Mr Haruna Zurmi, told The Tide source in an interview in Minna yesterday.

He said that the deployment was to ensure peaceful atmosphere during the festival.

Zurmi said that the command was working with other security agencies to ensure peace and harmony across the state during the festive period. He urged residents to comply strictly with restriction order issued by the state government through the Bureau of Religious Affairs for the Eid prayers, to check the spread of COVID-19.

According to him, armed personnel would be deployed to play grounds, recreation centres, motor parks and public buildings across the state. The Commandant called on residents to cooperate with security agencies deployed to ensure their safety, especially at play grounds. Zurmi also urged residents to volunteer information that would aid the command in arresting and prosecuting criminals.

"We are battle ready to confront any form of security threat as long as members of the general public are ready to supply us with required intelligence information about dubious characters in their midst. "I am giving assurance to all law-abiding residents of Niger that the security measures put in place would enable them observe the festivities in a peaceful atmosphere," Zurmi said.