Police Ban Use Of Fireworks, Knockouts During Yuletide

The Rivers State Police Command says it has banned the use of fireworks, crackers and knockouts during the Christmas and New Year celebrations in the state.
A statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, SP Nnamdi Omoni, warned the general public not to flout the directive during the celebrations, adding that displaying and shooting of any form of fireworks was completely prohibited.
“The command wishes to inform the general public, and indeed, residents of the state that the use of fireworks/crackers and knockouts, before, during and after the Christmas and New Year celebrations is completely banned.
“The command is not unmindful of the fact that these devices are explosives, which by their very nature, are harmful and capable of disrupting the peaceful atmosphere with the likelihood of causing unnecessary panic and tension in the state.
“To this end, therefore, the command is appealing to the general public, to desist from blasting these ‘devices’, and parents to warn their children/wards against the use of these explosives and adhere strictly to this order. Retailers of these ‘devices’ are equally advised, and warned to stop the sale, as any person or group of persons found flouting this order will be arrested and prosecuted, as a task force has already been constituted to enforce compliance.”
The statement further stated that “the command has made adequate deployments of men and materials to ensure that there would be seamless Yuletide celebration, one of its kind in the history of the state”, adding that “the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, again, wishes to assure the good people of the state that the command will leave no stone unturned to ensure that there will not be any form of security breach, in celebrating Christmas and New Year festivities.
“The command is irrevocably committed to delivering quality policing services in line with international best practices. Hence, we seek your full support and cooperation in this regard, while urging the public to increase their security consciousness and report all suspicious movements and characters around them to the police, via the following security numbers: 08032003514, 08028915462 and 08182157778”, the statement added.