Tight security in Kwara, Plateau

AUGUST 9, 2013  

Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State:

There was tight security in Kwara and Plateau states as Muslims celebrated the Eid-el-Fitr on Thursday.

In Kwara State, plain-clothes security operatives as well as others in uniform ensured that there was law and order in many of the Muslim prayer grounds in Ilorin.

One  of our correspondents, who visited some of the prayer grounds in the state, noted that in spite of the large turnout of Muslims at the venues, there were no reports of violence in any part of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Olufemi Fabode, confirmed the peaceful celebration in the state.

Fabode, who spoke to our correspondent, added that the command deployed no fewer than 3,000 police officers, including the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Agbola Glover-Oshodi, in the state for the special duty.

Meanwhile, at the Eid Prayer Ground in Ilorin, the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Bashir Mohammed, urged Muslims as well as other Nigerians to be committed to the unity of the country.

The Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari also commended the residents and security agencies in the state for the peace in the state.

The state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, urged the citizens to continue to live in harmony.

Ahmed said, “I want to urge our people to continue to be law-abiding; to continue to love one another and to strengthen each other’s capacity so that we can sustain the level of investment being attracted to the state.”

Among Muslims, who attended the ceremony, were Ahmed, Senator Bukola Saraki, the Vice-Chancellor of the Kwara State University, Prof. Rasheed Na’Allah, and some members of the state executive council.

Meanwhile, security operatives, comprising men of the Special Task Force, mounted checkspoints at strategic locations in Jos and Bukuru local governments of Plateau State to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

Their presence was noticed majorly along the routes to mosques and prayer grounds.

The security operatives, who banned the use of fireworks, also restricted the movement of vehicles to certain parts of the state. They also conducted search on vehicles and their passengers.

Our correspondent observed that Muslims trooped out to their various prayer grounds to observe the festival as early as 8am, even as members of the STF ensured that nobody carried any dangerous weapons to the grounds.

The STF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Henry Ayoola, who visited some of the prayer grounds in Jos, praised the people of the state for their orderly conduct during the celebration.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe, also went round with his men to ensure that there was order in the state.