As Nigerians prepare for the Easter festivities, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has announced the nationwide deployment of over 57,000 personnel to churches, parks, shopping malls, and recreation centres to ensure a safe and peaceful holiday season.

According to a statement issued by the Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Babawale, the operation is a proactive measure to prevent security breaches during one of the country’s busiest holiday periods.

The security operation, approved by Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, as contained in the statement, would cover all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The deployment includes specialised tactical units and intelligence operatives tasked with protecting lives, property and critical national assets.

According to the statement, the commandant-general directed zonal commanders and state commandants to maintain tight security across their jurisdictions.

“High-risk and high-traffic locations such as churches, recreational centres, shopping malls, parks and others will witness increased surveillance, including both overt patrols and covert intelligence monitoring.

Speaking on the operations, Audi emphasised the importance of inter-agency collaboration and rapid response mechanisms, noting that effective information sharing remains critical to maintaining national security.

“Our goal is to ensure a seamless and secure Easter celebration for all Nigerians. We are working closely with other security agencies to maintain law and order, and we urge citizens to remain vigilant and cooperate with security operatives.”

MEANWHILE, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun State has advised motorists to embark only on important journeys and reduce speeding to minimise road crashes during the Easter celebration.

The Itori unit commander of FRSC, Mr Babatunde Gold, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Ota.

Gold said the advice to motorists had become necessary, especially during the Easter celebration, to prevent unnecessary loss of lives.

He noted that any motorist who was not on the highway during Easter was not likely to be involved in a road crash.

“The FRSC is appealing to motorists to, possibly, reduce their presence on the roads so that mishaps can be prevented.

“Whenever they need to be on the road, they should use it with common sense by not driving against traffic and not competing with other road users,” the unit commander said.

Gold counselled motorists to strictly adhere to all traffic rules and regulations and to ensure that their vehicles were in good condition before putting them on the road.

He also urged them to cooperate with FRSC personnel, as a special patrol exercise would be conducted to respond to emergencies and check drivers’ excesses.

This, he said, would help to reduce preventable crashes during the festive period and beyond.