Agege Local Government area of Lagos State has banned the usual deployment of fireworks in celebration of the Christmas and the New Year and ordered organisers of street carnivals in the area to seek its approval before throwing parties.
The directives were contained in a statement the Executive Chairman, Alh. Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi issued wherein he rationalised the orders.
Egunjobi said the local government was motivated by its statutory responsibility of maintaining security of lives and properties at all time and around the clock.
He said while the council acknowledged that it is within the rights of the area’s residents to party, have fun and over indulge themselves during festive periods, it added that the government was not unaware of the attendant violence and crimes that were associated with the occasion, particularly Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“The council recognise that it is well within the rights of people of Agege to celebrate and merry this period, but we must also bear it in mind that violence and other forms of crimes usually peaked during this Christmas and New Year’s celebration.
“Among the causative agents, which we identified at the last held Security meeting of the council are: the street carnival and the use of fireworks during this yuletide. While street carnival provided a breeding ground for rival cult groups clash, not few crimes are perpetrated under the guise of massive fireworks display.
“As a responsible government, it is imperative for us to ensure security of lives and properties of residents, business owners and visitors. In the light of the aforementioned, no street carnivals must be held without the approval of the council while the use of fireworks by individuals or institution is outrightly ban.
Recall that last week, the Council banned the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, from operating in Agege, citing perpetration of violence and the illegal conversion of roads and markets to parks and garages as the reason for the embargo.
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