Police Command in Osun has assured residents, tourists and traditionalists of adequate security before, during, and after the Osun-Osogbo Festival.
The Command’s Spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, in a statement on Thursday, said that divisional officers and area commanders had been directed to deploy security measures to safeguard lives and property.
‘The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, has directed Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Tactical Commanders, and other operational units to put in place comprehensive security measures across Osogbo and other strategic locations. This is to safeguard lives and property and maintain public order throughout the festive period. Security personnel will be strategically deployed to major venues, access routes, worship and tourist sites, markets, motor parks, and other identified flashpoints,’ Ojelabi said.
He said that the command would be working with relevant government agencies, traditional institutions, festival organisers, community leaders, and other security stakeholders to ensure effective coordination and prompt response to any security challenge.
The spokesperson assured members of the public that adequate arrangements had been made to manage traffic, regulate crowds, prevent criminal activities, and respond promptly to emergencies.
He urged residents and visitors to remain vigilant and law-abiding throughout the festival.
Ojelabi advised members of the public to cooperate with security personnel, avoid acts capable of causing disorder, and promptly report suspicious persons, objects, or activities to the nearest police formation or security personnel.
He urged parents and guardians to keep watch over their children and wards in crowded areas.
Ojelabi also advised motorists and other road users to comply with traffic regulations and instructions from personnel deployed for traffic management.
He, however, warned criminals, cultists, hoodlums, thieves, and other persons intending to exploit the festival to commit crimes, that the command will not allow anyone to disrupt the peace of the state.
The spokesperson said that appropriate measures had been put in place to identify and deal decisively with criminal activities, in accordance with the law.
The Osun-Osogbo festival is an annual traditional event hosted by the Osun State Government with the Ata-Oja of Osogbo, the traditional ruler of Osogbo.
The festival, which attracts foreign tourists, is held at the Osun-Osogbo Grove, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognised heritage site.
The week long event would be climaxing on Aug. 7 with the calabash carrying ritual, by the Osun maiden called the ‘Arugba’, to the Osun River in Osogbo.