• Gunmen attack traders, raze vehicles in Imo
Finland based Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa has threatened to announce another week-long lockdown with palliatives across the Southeast.

Ekpa who describes himself as Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government -in-Exile on his Twitter handle said he would announce the date for the fresh lockdown soon.

His words: “Our sit at home recorded 100% compliance. Because of this propaganda and lies we will lockdown Biafra for another week and provide palliative to Biafrans. I will announce another week-long lockdown with palliative across Biafra land. Start date will be announced. It will be simultaneous with stopping oil exploitation from Biafra soil.”

Meanwhile, Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, yesterday described the sit-at-home enforcers as individuals “out to destroy Enugu State and Igboland” adding that his administration had “won the actual war against sit-at-home enforcers” in the state.

Speaking with journalists on Saturday, Mbah said the perpetrators “have now resorted to scaremongering, peddling of fake news, and all manner of dramas to instill fear in our people and control their minds and actions”.

He urged residents of the state not to “allow those who do not have the mandate of the people dictate for us how to live our lives”.

“The truth is that we have won the actual war against sit-at-home enforcers and murderers out to destroy Enugu state and Igboland,” Mbah said.

“We have unleashed the security resources on them, and they have been thoroughly defeated and discomfited.

“We practice democracy. We can never allow murderers and terrorists to dictate to us. We must not allow those who do not have the mandate of the people to dictate to us how to live our lives; when to go out, when to close our businesses and when to sit at home.

“What we are facing now are media terrorists using social media to instigate fear and peddle fake news. We must not allow them to succeed. It is totally unacceptable. Nobody can make you inferior without your consent. These hoodlums are very few compared to our numbers. We cannot be taking instructions from hooligans.

“We must not allow those without our mandate to tell us how to live our lives. We have a duty to ensure that we flush them out in all directions. They have no stake in the affairs of our state.

“It is, therefore, our responsibility to re-orientate our people to start coming out and going about their normal businesses. We have a duty to kill fake news and counter it with our superior pen and media.

“Therefore, as we are leaving here, we must begin to tell our people the right thing; that nobody can make them inferior without their consent; that we can’t be cowed by the cowardly acts of a few people.”

The governor added that sit-at-home enforcers are “separate” from the call for the freedom of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

“As media people, it is important you educate our people for them to know that these sit-at-home enforcers are not after Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s welfare or freedom. We must be able to separate the two,” the governor said.

“Ndigbo are on one page in demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu. I have also seen the president over this matter. Other Igbo leaders have made the same demand, and we are not relenting.”

Police kill four in Enugu
Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have netralised a four-man gang of gunmen, who attempted to enforce an illegal weeklong sit-at-home in Enugu in the early hours of Friday.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in Enugu, late Friday night, recalling that police had earlier on the same day reported that operatives of the Awkunanaw Division of the Command intercepted and engaged the criminals in a gun duel at One-Day, Awkunanaw, Enugu, as they were snatching an Enugu State Transport Company, ENTRACO-branded Sharon mini van at gunpoint for their deadly operation.

“Although they managed to escape with serious gunshot injuries, a thorough search conducted on the vehicle led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle with a magazine loaded with 19 live ammunition of 7.62 calibres, two bottles of petrol bomb and other incriminating exhibits.”

But, giving an update on the operation, the command spokesman said: “Further to the earlier report on Police operatives serving in Awkunanaw Division of the Command, dislodging armed subversive criminal elements, who attempted to enforce the illegal sit-at-home order, in the early hours of today, 07/07/2023, a combined team of tactical Police Operatives of the Command have further discovered and recovered the lifeless bodies of four (4) of the male hoodlums, in a forest behind G. Ede Filling Station/7-Up, at Awkunanaw, Enugu, where they escaped into.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, has once again reassured that the Police and other Security Forces in the State shall not relent in their efforts to maintain maximum security and safety of the law-abiding citizens, as they go about their lawful businesses. He, however, solicits their continued support.”

Gunmen kill two, raze market in Imo
A popular market in Imo State, Orie Amaraku in Mbano Local Government Area of the state was set ablaze by gunmen enforcing sit-at-home yesterday.

The gunmen who stormed the market late Friday night shot sporadically to scarce away people before setting the market ablaze.

According to eyewitnesses, the hoodlums also burnt several vehicles and tricycles alongside some vehicles parked in the area

A woman who sustained a wound on her left leg said “the boys came with guns and were shooting into the air warning everybody not to come to the market on Saturday which is the market day.”

Another passerby said “several tricycles were set on fire, making many of the operators to be weeping. The hoodlums equally destroyed tables and all structures in the market. Even the soldiers stationed near the market all disappeared.

“The gunmen said nobody should come on the market day on Saturday, they said this is warning to everybody to stay at home.”

Also, today(Saturday) at about 12noon a keke rider was shot dead at Akwakuma junction in Owerri by gunmen.

According to reports, the gunmen attacked the area around 12 noon on Saturday while enforcing sit at home.

An eyewitness said that the gunmen stormed the area in a Sienna bus and started shooting sporadically in the air, causing people to scamper for safety.

He said the keke man was hit by a stray bullet. “They shot the keke rider and another man. I was in my shop when gunshots were heard everywhere, two people were shot dead.”

A resident of the community said “I don’t know why the criminals could not be checked while the military checkpoints are near there. They only extort money from innocent drivers. If this could happen in Owerri, what about the rural areas?

He called on the government and security agencies to wake up to their responsibilities, saying “we cannot afford to allow these hoodlums to operate unchallenged.

As at the time of filing this report, the state police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, was yet to react to the incidents.
By Chris Njoku
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