There is heavy presence of security personnel at the Osun-Osogbo groove in Osogbo, as the annual festival begins to come to a close at the River Osun bank on Friday, August 11, 2023.
It was reported that armed policemen and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel, in their patrol vehicles are stationed at the road leading to the groove from Odi-Olowo, Osogbo.
The presence of armed security personnel at the entrance of the groove was also noticed, while the police, Federal Road Safety, Departments of Security Service, local vigilantes are all positioned within the groove.
Private security guards were also seen around the pavilion where dignitaries and host of the Osun-Osogbo Festival, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, the Ata-Oja of Osogbo, are expected to be seated. A lot of devotees were spotted at the Osun River bank, fetching water while some were seen saying their traditional prayers and performing other rituals.
SP Yemisi Opalola, Police Spokesperson in Osun, had earlier informed NAN that adequate security had been emplaced to ensure a successful festival.
Similarly, the NSCDC, Osun Command, through its spokesperson, Kehinde Adeleke, gave the same assurance of the State Commandant, Agboola Sunday.He said that lives and property of tourists and residents would be secured during and after the festival
