Security has been beefed up in Edo State, ahead of
Thursday (today’s) coronation of the crown prince, His Royal Highness, Eheneden
Erediauwa, as the new oba of Benin Kingdom.
Prince Eheneden will leave Usama Palace, where he
has been since October 9 for Benin, the state capital.
He is also expected to pass through Isekherhe to
perform the ceremonial crossing of a river before moving to Urho-Okpota for the
coronation ceremony.
It was learnt that although
the heir apparent would not be crowned in public, he would receive the staff of
office from the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, as the 39th oba, at a grand
ceremony to be graced by guests, led by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Also expected at the
ceremony are state governors, the leadership of the National Assembly and other
lawmakers, traditional rulers and members of the diplomatic community.
Our correspondent, who went
round major areas in the state capital, observed heavy presence of policemen at
Ovoranmwwen Square, Airport Road, Urho-Okpota and around the Oba’s palace on
Plymouth Road.
The Commissioner of Police,
Haliru Gwandu, had on Tuesday said that 5,000 personnel would be deployed to
provide security for the historic event.
The acting Police Public
Relations Officer, Stephen Onwochei, told The PUNCH on Wednesday that
policemen would also be drawn from the anti-bomb squad unit of the command.
On its part, the 4 Brigade
Command of the Nigerian Army expressed its readiness to assist other sister
agencies in ensuring a hitch-free coronation.
The state command of the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps said it had deployed 500 personnel to
man strategic locations.
The spokesman for the
command, Efosa Ogbebor, noted that the operatives would be drawn from the armed
squad, Special Weapons and Tactical team and the anti-bomb unit.
Ogbebor explained that
while the command would not deploy armed men at the Oba’s palace, parts of Ring
Road, Plymouth Road, Mission Road and Akpakpava Road would be cordoned off to
forestall any form of breakdown of law and order.
“Anyone who attempts that
will face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.
Although motorists complied
with the restriction of vehicular movement as directed by the coronation
planning committee, traffic congestion was observed in some parts of Benin, due
to the diversion of traffic.
The state sector command of
the Federal Road Safety Corps said that 400 personnel would be on ground to
ease the flow of traffic during the coronation ceremony.
The spokesperson for the
command, George Otoaviokhai, said the deployed officers comprised 150 officers,
250 marshals and 15 ve
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