“The governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu hereby imposes a curfew in Aba and Umuahia metropolis.
“This is sequel to security reports received from multiple sources, and informed by the need to continue to protect innocent citizens and residents of the state”, declared Abia State government in a statement on Monday as it braces up to forestall the recap of Owerri jailbreak episode where gunmen freed an unspecified number prisoners at the early hours of Easter Monday, April 5, 2021″.
Indeed, in a swift move to forestall an assault on security agencies or government facilities reminiscence of Owerri episode, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, buoyed by security reports, directed the imposition of curfew in Aba and Umuahia, the two major cities of the state between 10pm and 6am daily.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information in the state, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, the Abia government revealed that the curfew which took effect from today, Monday, April 5, 2021 will last till further notice.
The statement reads further, “This is sequel to security reports received from multiple sources, and informed by the need to continue to protect innocent citizens and residents of the state”.
The government, in the statement, directed security agencies in the state to ensure strict enforcement and compliance with the directive, even as it stressed that only those on essential services with proper identification were exempted from the curfew.
The government therefore urged “traditional rulers, men of the State Homeland Security Team and Community Vigilante Services to monitor movement of persons within their respective domains and take necessary measures to protect the people and their property”.
The government advised law abiding citizens to go about their normal duties, outside the curfew period, without fear of molestation, as adequate security arrangements were in place to guarantee their safety.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
