… Imposes Curfew
Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, who is also Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, says the Indigenous People of Biafra is not behind most of the numerous attacks in parts of the state.
Umahi stated this while briefing newsmen on some issues and decisions taken during this week’s security council meeting in Abakiliki.
The governor added that hoodlums hide under the umbrella of IPOB to carry out their evil attacks.
He based his claim on Tuesday’s incident at Onueke in Ezza South Local Government Area of the state where unknown gunmen attacked a bank.
It was learnt that armed hoodlums stormed the area on seven motorcycles.
He noted that after the hoodlums attacked a bank at Onueke, they stormed the quarry clusters in Umuoghara in Ezza North LGA to steal and cause mayhem to traders in the area.
Umahi gave security operatives in the state 72 hours to arrest the hoodlums and prosecute them in accordance with the law.
Umahi added, “We are aware that there are some killings over the weekend; a policeman was killed, two army men were killed and I think one civilian and their killers are pure bandits.
“They do these killings and put it in social media that they are members of IPOB or ESN.
“Without standing for either IPOB or ESN, but they continue to deny that they are not into violence but for me, criminality is criminality and I have directed security agencies to crack down on all criminal activities in the state.
“And for those who did the killings, the security agencies must bring them to book within 72 hours, they must do that,” he stated.
Imposes curfew
Meanwhile, Governor Umahi has imposed curfew in the border axis of the state, which he said would start on Wednesday from 8 pm to 6 am.
The governor also directed native doctors and traditional medicine dealers within seven days to register with the state government or face prosecution.
He maintained that the Commissioner in charge of Border Peace and Internal Security, the Commissioner for health and the state Commissioner of Police would be empowered with an executive order to arrest and prosecute any offender.
He further said, “We have agreed that all native doctors in the state and traditional medicine dealers must within seven days today register with the Commissioner for Border Peace, with the Commissioner for health and with the CP.
“There will be an executive order to this effect and anyone that is caught doing otherwise will be arrested and will be prosecuted.
‘Fake news everywhere’
Umahi, who also expressed dismay over the height of fake news in the state, stated that his administration would henceforth track down those actors of such information and prosecute them.
“We agreed that there is rampant fake news in Ebonyi State.
“Like today, somebody posted that herdsmen are in Ebonyi and they are killing people and schools started closing down, students and pupils started running helter-skelter. Is that what we will continue to tolerate?
“And so, I have directed whether you are in opposition, whether you are in agreement, whatever thing you are, you should be tracked down so that you should be going to court to prove whatever thing you are putting,” he said.
Again, the governor directed that all wake keep and social life such as night club in all parts of the state must end at 6 pm henceforth.