•As traders vacate roadside stalls
Against the backdrop of Thursday’s working visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Osun, now fewer than 12 trucks of heavily armed soldiers had been deployed to the state to beef up security.
Nigerian Tribune authoritatively gathered that the soldiers, who arrived Osogbo, the state capital on Tuesday night and in the early hours of Wednesday would complement the efforts of the anti-riot policemen on ground.
Top security source also informed Nigerian Tribune that more security operatives were still expected to arrive Osun ahead of Wednesday’s visit by Mr President.
Speaking on the preparedness of the Osun State Police command, regarding the presidential visit, the acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Egbedele Ajibade said “we are fully ready to provide effective security for Mr President during Thursday visit to the state.”
He maintained that “we are fully on ground. Our men are on ground. Though I cannot give you the specific number of policemen that would be deployed for the visit, we have large number of policemen to cover Mr President’s visit. We have other security agencies that would collaborate with us to ensure effective security of lives and properties. There is no cause for alarm.
However, our correspondent, who monitored the situation in Osogbo ahead of today’s visit observed that virtually all the traders, who have their stalls beside the roads have been evacuated.
At the popular Olaiya junction and Fakunle, where inter state commercial buses, plying Osogbo-Lagos have their garage, none of them were sighted yesterday as they have been ordered to leave the vicinity.
One of the traders, Mrs Sade Bolarinwa said “the task force people from the government came on Tuesday and chased us away from our stalls. They said the state government ordered that nobody should be here again. I think their action was informed by the plan of President Buhari to visit Osun State.
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