The Ebonyi state Governor has directed the security agencies in the state to kill at sight any hoodlum they found in possession of a firearm or any dangerous weapon. The killing order was declared by the commissioner of Information, Uchenna Orji, through a statement on behalf of the governor following the unabated terrorism being meted out by unknown gunmen on INEC offices and the general public across the state. Vigil360 learned that some gunmen invaded a commercial area in the state and were shooting sporadically into the air forcing innocent civilians into pandemonium.
The shooting was confirmed by a source that it was an effort by the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB to enforce the sit-at-home order by their terrorist factional leader, Samuel Ekpa.
Some yet-to-be-ascertained people lost their lives in the process while some sustained various degrees of injuries.
However, the information commissioner denied the report of killing, saying that nobody was killed and the purported sit-at-home did not hold.
In his statement, “the rumour” of sit-at-home enforcement was “enemies of the state fanned by opposition forces” with the intent to scare residents of the state.
He said the Governor of the state, Mr Dave Umahi, has instructed all security agencies and the Ebubeagu security network to constantly sustain patrol within both the city centre and council areas.
Mr Orji added, “The state reiterates its unflinching commitment to the security of lives and properties of the inhabitants of the state and therefore directed all security agencies and Ebubeagu Security Outfit to neutralise any miscreant found with a gun and or dangerous weapon in the state,”
He called on the citizens in the state to ignore any sit-at-home order and go about their legitimate daily endeavour.
Background...
Last week Wednesday, the factional leader of IPOB, Simon Ekpa, had declared a five-day sit-at-home across Nigeria’s south-east to be observed from 9 to 14 December, Tuesday, 13 December, was excluded.
Mr Ekpa, after making the declaration through his verified Twitter handle, claimed that the sit-at-home order was in response to some “proactive measures” being put in place by unnamed Biafran agitators to address the rising insecurity in the region, which he claimed, was caused by the Nigerian government.
He threatened the resident to remain in-door during the said five days or blame themselves for what will follow those who flaunt the order.
Shortly, a video surfaced online with an AK-47 threatening to kill anyone that flaunts the order purported to be from Ekpa.
The voice note from the video said, “Stay in your house. If you come out, you will die. Mark my word,” the voice said.
But several Igbo leaders condemned the declaration and urged residents of the region to disregard the order.
More so, the leader of the IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, repeatedly disowned the declaration and asked residents of the region to ignore it.
Consequently, some residents were attacked for stepping out of their homes during the ongoing five-day sit-at-home order by gunmen enforcing it.
On Friday, the gunmen attacked Imo communities, killing a police officer and Prince Iheme, an elder brother to Nollywood actor, Osita Iheme.
Subsequently, on Saturday, the hoodlums attacked residents in different locations in Enugu State, killing two persons in a local market and police vehicle ablaze.