FCTA issues strict compliance with COVID-19 guidelines
Ahead of the Eid-el Kabir celebration, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has vowed to sustain efforts at improving public security and safety across the country.
The IGP gave the assurance while directing Commissioners of Police (CPs) in all the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and their supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), to beef up security to prevent lapses in their Areas of Responsibility (AoR) throughout the Eid-el-Kabir season and beyond.
The IGP particularly directed the zonal AIGs and state command CPs to put in place all necessary security measures to ensure an incident-free celebration.
Police spokesman, CP Frank Mba, said: “They are to, amongst other things, deploy human and other operational assets to carry out confidence-building and crime prevention patrols on major highways, residential and industrial areas, vulnerable points, places of worship, other places of public resort and around all critical national infrastructure.
“The IGP also warned that personnel deployed must be professional and mindful of the fundamental rights of the citizens, and discharge their responsibilities with all sense of decorum and alertness.”
Also, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other major stakeholders, has flagged off safety operations to reduce accidents on the highways during the celebration.
Other stakeholders to partner NEMA include the Red Cross, the Federal and State fire services, and the National Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC).
Flagging off the operation tagged ‘Operation Eagle Eye,’ with the theme, ‘Safe Eid El Kabir’ in Ado Ekiti, the Zonal Head, Ekiti Operations Office (Ekiti, Ondo, and Osun), Mr. Olusegun Afolayan, said the festive periods, always come with increase vehicular movements and more auto crashes.
Meanwhile, the FRSC has deployed its men across the states to ensure a hitch-free Sallah celebration.
The Sector Commander of the Corps in Edo State, Henry Benamaisia, said it had deployed 1,250 personnel for a hitch-free Sallah celebration.
He listed the critical corridors to include Benin-Ekiadolor-Ovia-Okada-Ohosu road, Benin-Iruekpen-Ekpoma, Ewu-Agbede-Auchi-Auchi,(4)Benin-Okhuahe-Ogheneki-Agbor road, Benin-Ologbo axis, among others.
Benamaisia advised road users to endeavour to cultivate the habit of discipline, patience, maintain lanes discipline and tolerance as well as obey traffic laws and FRSC operatives.
In Benue State, the state command said it had deployed 579 regular marshals and 107 special marshals to ensure safety in the state.
Sector Commander in charge of Benue State, Yakubu Mohammad in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Education Officer (PEO), Oladele Meshach, said the deployment was for patrol, rescue, and traffic control.
He called on all road users to be safety conscious and to abide by all safety rules and regulations during the celebration and beyond.
Similarly, the Cross River Command has commenced a special Sallah patrol with the deployment of 315 staff members and four equipment to cover five routes.
A statement from the State’s Sector Commander, Mr. Ocheja Ameh at weekend said the special patrol would involve staff deployment of 216 regulars, 18 for traffic control, 27 for rescue, and 54 Special Marshalls covering various routes.
He said in terms of equipment, three patrol vehicles and one heavy-duty tow truck will be used for the special Sallah patrol in the state.
MEANWHILE, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has approved strict guidelines for the celebration of Eid-El-Kabir prayer and celebrations within the territory.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Mr. Anthony Ogunleye, on Saturday in Abuja.
The statement explained that the guidelines were adopted at a meeting of the FCT Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) on COVID-19, chaired by the minister.
According to the statement, the meeting reviewed the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the FCT especially as it relates to the upcoming Sallah celebrations.
