Gen. Said Chawul Lom, the Inspector General of the National Police Service - Courtesy

The Inspector General of Police, General Said Chawul Lom, has banned the use of fireworks during South Sudan’s Independence Day celebrations, warning that criminals could use the noise as cover to commit crimes.

South Sudan will tomorrow mark 15 years of independence, with the national police leadership urging citizens to celebrate peacefully and responsibly.

General Said also warned members of the organized forces and the public against firing guns into the air, saying the practice puts lives at risk and threatens public safety.

“We are banning fireworks this Independence celebrations. People ask that, in other countries there are fireworks, why are they not banned, what is the dangers here,” he said.

“We are banning fireworks because some criminals can use that and also shoot fire arms and people cannot differentiate between fireworks and Fire arms,” he added.

He said security personnel will be deployed at key locations, including public gathering areas, to prevent incidents that could disrupt the celebrations.

The police chief said security preparations have been completed, with police and other organized forces ready to maintain safety across the country during the Independence Day events.