Residents in last minute shopping
By Matthew Denis and Mike Adeyemi
With four days to the Christmas celebration, marking the birth of Jesus Christ, markets across Ilorin metropolis, yesterday, witnessed a large turnout of customers.
Also noticed is gridlock on the major roads like Ibrahim Taiwo, Unity, Surulere, Post office and Tanke area, among others.
Similarly, Automated Teller Machines ( ATM )were besieged by many, who wanted to make last minute withdrawals unfortunately, some of the machines had no cash forcing many customers to wear gloomy faces.
Some of the customers resorted to keeping vigil at the ATM points as only few of the machines was dispensing cash.
At Oja-Tuntun, Mandate Ultramodern market, Obbo road and Yoruba road, customers were seen buying large quantities of rice, groundnut oil, pepper and onions.
A trader at Mandate, Mrs. Kadijat Abdulsalam said, “We have increased the prices of foodstuffs. 5kg of Semovita which was sold for N1,500 now cost N2,000 due to hike in transport fare.
Also a customer at Obbo road lamented that 23 litres of palm oil which was before now sold for N10,000 now goes for N12,000.
Also patronised largely are those selling shoes, clothes and chickens at Ibrahim Taiwo road and Post Office, area.
Live chickens were being sold at Obbo road between N1,500 and N2,500 depending on the size.
In spite of the harsh economic reality commercial vehicle operators exploited the opportunity of the season by increasing transport fares between 20 to 50 per cent.
…Police, NSCDC, others deploy 9,500 officers
By Ahmed Ajikobi
To ensure safety of lives and properties during the yuletide period the state Police Command, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence corps (NSCD)and the Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC) have deployed 9,500 officers across Kwara State.
According to information gathered by our reporter, the Police will be deploying 4,000 officers, NSCDC 2,500 and FRSC 3,000 to all area in the state during the Christmas celebration.
Speaking in his office, yesterday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi said “During Christmas, Intelligence officers will be placed everywhere and our standby team will be stationed in all the area command in case of emergency.”
Similarly, the State NSCDC Commandant, Adeyinka Fasiu stated that his men will be deployed to black spots in the state.
” Both under cover and counter terrorism, kidnapping and other criminal activities,” he said, while also warning members of the public against lighting Banger and other explosives.
In the same vein, the Kwara Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety, Sunday Maku said apart from the 3000 strength officers that will be deployed for the Christmas, the command is expecting more from zones and the headquarters.
Maku added that, the command will deploy 25 patrol vans in the state with roadside clinics to take care of any emergency in Omu-Aran, Bode Saadu and Ilorin to be supervised by him.
He added that the command is working with other security agencies in the state like Police, DSS and NSCDC to ensure a hitch free celebration.