Ebonyi State Government has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in all entrance and exit points of the State in a bid to checkmate the increasing spate of criminalities and violence in some parts of the state.
The curfew will be in place with effect from Wednesday 28th April 2021 between 8pm to 6 am daily.
Governor David Umahi announced this while briefing newsmen after an enlarged State Security Council Meeting at the new Government House, Ochoudo Centenary City, Abakaliki on Wednesday.
The Governor explained that the curfew is to check the influx of criminal elements into the State through the border areas.
“Effective from today, we are placing a curfew on all the borders – entrance and exits from the State and no movement will be allowed in those areas but there will be movements in the town and I’m directing the Security Agencies and Ebubeagu people to enforce it, anyone caught violating this is taking a risk of his/her life”
“I have directed all Security Agencies to crack down on all criminal activities in the state and for those who did the killings, the security agencies should bring them to book within 72 hours.
Governor Umahi who decried the unabated killings of Security personnel in some parts of the country by bandits warned people against fake news and directed Security Agencies to track down purveyors of fake news and profile them for prosecution.
“There is so much fake news in Ebonyi State, I have directed that if you publish fake news, you should be tracked down so that you will be going to court to prove whatever you are posting, so I advise the people if you get the news you cannot defend or verify, don’t post it because if you post it, it becomes your news and you will answer for it.
“We appeal to our people to stop attacking and killing Security men in Ebonyi State, burning down the infrastructure of Government and killing civilians, this is pure criminality, there is no agitation in this criminality and the State Security apparatus will descend on them”.
He directed that all wake and other Social activities must end by 6 pm while defaulters would be made to pay a fine of one million naira.
The Governor also directed Okada riders to form their Security to be involved in identifying criminals using motorcycles to operate or risk the total ban of motorcycles in the State. He further explained that the ban of motorcycles on dual carriageways has been reactivated with immediate effect.
While explaining that the State Government has discovered that the attack on Umugadu people of Ohaukwu was carried out by Agila people using the herders as mercenaries said the State would embark on one-week prayer from first May to seek the face of God over the hostilities in parts of the State.
The Governor who expressed happiness that peace was gradually returning to Effium, directed the Effium and Ezza Effium stakeholders to form joint vigilante to secure their environment, promising to assist them in the provision of some logistics.
He, however, made the presentation of 40 million naira each to people of Egedegede in Ishielu Local Government Area and Umugadu in Ohaukwu Local Government as compensation to families of those who lost their lives in the attacks and to form vigilantes in their Communities.
The Governor announced that the Abakaliki Ring road Project would Commence in May, saying the Effium axis would benefit from the project with the return of peace to the area.
He charged benefitting Communities to form vigilantes to secure the contractors and the materials to ensure smooth execution of the project.
The Governor opined that Mr. President is a good man and means well for the nation but he is being criticized by many who don’t know him.
“Mr. President is a good man, he means well for this Nation, you can castigate him if you don’t know the man.
“If we want to solve the Security problem, it is not just for Security men, it is for all of us, a lot of insecurity is caused by fake news, if anyone posts fake news, we will track the person and make him face the law, I have to appeal to leaders to be mindful of their utterances, a lot of the Nation leaders are talking anyhow and war does no one any good”
The Governor also unveiled the Ebonyi State chapter of Ebubeagu Security outfit in their full operational regalia with the charge to complement the conventional Security Agencies in taming insecurity across the State.
He also announced that all native Doctors and Medicine dealers in the State should get registered with the Commissioner for Internal Security within one week or face sanctions.
Francis Nwaze, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity
