South Sudan police steps up security measures for Easter holidays

March 28, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s police say that have put in place the necessary security measures to provide security during the Easter holidays, which in recent years has been used by criminal to attack and steel from citizens in some areas of the you country.

Police spokesman, Colonel Monday downplayed the public’s fears on Thursday, and assured the public of the police’s readiness to deploy personnel to key areas of Juba and across the nation to ensure public safety and battle crime.

“As it is done all the times, the celebrations for this year will be different. The police will step up security measures to ensure that, we secure the special activities that will be performed during the festivity period. You know during the Easter a lot of people will be going to Churches and other parts of the country to celebrate the holidays, so we have put in place a very comprehensive security system to make sure citizens are safe during the Easter,” he said.

Traffic police will also aim to ensure that those traveling by road are safe by making sure drivers follow traffic regulations, which are regularly flouted during national holidays.

“The security measures have been divided into three, the road safety aspect of it, the traffic management, and the general security aspect of it and you know that it is during this time that we record most gruesome and fatal accidents on the road. People who are in the need of joy with their family members in different places; drivers will want to make quick money so there will be a lot of recklessness on the part of drivers and carelessness as well. Overloading and speeding that can lead to accident”.

The officer, who was speaking to journalists at the premises of the ministry of interior, said that more police would also be deployed on the Nile and other rivers “to ensure the safety of merrymakers who will patronise the shores during this period.”

He called on the public to comply with the police but also to report and instances of police of malpractice.

“The few bad nuts that we have in the service are fast withering, are fast fallen by the road because of the stringent measures that the police administration have put in place to check them. The police authorities have introduced hidden cameras and some people have already fallen victim and facing the music, so many officials are alert and are cautious. As far as we are concerned, excessive drinking that could lead to accidents on the roads will be checked,” he explained said.

(ST)