LAGOS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Police in a southern state of Nigeria has banned the use of fireworks during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, a senior officer said Wednesday.

Kenneth Ebrimson, police chief in charge of the southwest state of Ogun, who made this known to reporters in Abeokuta, the state capital, warned that anyone caught selling or using fireworks would be prosecuted.

He urged parents and guardians to warn their wards against the use of fireworks, saying that the law banning the use of fireworks is still in force.

Ebrimson told reporters that his men arrested 32 suspected criminals, recovered 12 varieties of arms and 51 ammunition within two weeks of the launch of "Operation Restore Hope."

The suspect were arrested at different locations in the state for offences ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, murder to cultism, he added.

The police chief said his personnel would not hesitate to deal decisively with anybody who chose to take to crime as business.

Ebrimson added that a large number of policemen had been deployed on major highways, to forestall any form of crime during the festive period.