No fewer than three security operatives collapsed as a result of exhaustion during the second term inauguration ceremony of the Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.

The separate incidents happened at different locations during the ceremony at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, on Tuesday.

Their collapse was attributed to fatigue and the long period of parade under harsh sunny weather.

The three operatives – a male police officer, a male officer of the Directorate of State Services and a female operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps- were said to be exhausted as a result of the intense heat due to the scorching sun.

The police operative collapsed first, during a parade, followed by the female NSCDC operative, who slumped towards the end of the event and was later escorted to an ambulance, after she refused to be moved on a stretcher.

The DSS operative slumped in front of the podium during a parade.

A security source who craved anonymity said the police operative who was later resuscitated at the parade ground was still unstable, and was taken in an ambulance to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka.

As of the time of filing this report, no information had been obtained regarding the latest developments, as various security spokesmen declined to comment on the development. (Text, excluding headline: The PUNCH)