Osun State government on Tuesday announced that it would allow crossover services to hold in the state on Thursday night but added that such services must be closed early and everyone must be off the streets by 1:00 a.m.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, on the Twitter handle of the state government, the sensitivity to the mood of the season has necessitated a review of its earlier position that such crossover services would not hold in the state.
According to the statement: “The government of Osun State has decided to allow crossover religious gatherings, but any organisation holding crossover services must note that they are expected to close the service early and everyone must be off the streets by 1:00 a.m.
“Security operatives have been given the directive to enforce this guideline. Religious bodies and citizens are therefore advised to comply because we do not want anyone to spend the first day of the year in police custody.
“Also, the leadership of religious bodies must ensure strict adherence to safety protocols, which include accommodating only 50 per cent capacity of their normal attendance, ensuring social distancing, use of nose mask or face shields by participants, avoidance of sharing materials and instruments and avoidance of any other action that can help the virus to spread.”