The Enugu State Government and security agencies in the state have commended the people of the state for resisting the sit-at-home warning by people they described as “enemies of progress”, saying they had shown that Enugu had since gone beyond that stage.
The commendation was given at a joint press conference addressed by the government and security chiefs after a tour of schools, businesses, financial institutions, and markets to boost confidence and monitor compliance to the ban on sit-at-home in the state.
Speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “Enugu is open for business and Enugu is fully engaged in assuring that private sector actors feel very comfortable coming into Enugu.
So, we will not tolerate non-state actors trying to act in defiance of our clear approach to grow our economy. What is also important is that under this governor and this government, there has been no incident on any Monday from the day the governor cancelled the illegal sit-at-home.
“Because we heard the rumours of an illegal sit-at-home directive by non-state actors, the security forces and the state government decided to move around the state to ensure that people feel safe and that there is no compliance to this illegal directive. We went through different locations.
“We toured the schools, markets, financial institutions, our civil service offices, and we are satisfied with the turnout of the people. It shows that people in Enugu are clearly not aligned with that illegality. It is also a demonstration of people’s support for a government and the leadership that completely understands the value of hard work and continues to support their people by creating a sense of security for them to do their business,” Onyia stated.
Onyia, assured that although Enugu had since gone past that stage, the government would ensure more security presence if only to reassure the people, stressing, however, that the government would visit sanctions on schools, markets, and institutions that defy the ban on sit-at-home.
“For those teachers and private or public schools that have decided not to show up to school today, the state government, as a policy, is to go back and ensure that those schools are sanctioned adequately. This also applies to markets, businesses, financial institutions and the rest of them. We insist on zero compliance to an illegal directive,” he stressed.
Speaking on behalf of other security chiefs, including the Garrison Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Steven Dogo; and State Director of the Department of State Services, Theresa Egbunu, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Anayo Uzuegbu maintained that sit-at-home remained an aberration in Enugu State and reiterated the determination of the security agencies and the government to deal ruthlessly with troublemakers.
“I want to let you know that in Enugu State, this idea of sit-at-home is an aberration. Enugu has outgrown all this scenerio. Enugu is not part of it and it does not exist here. So, all the propaganda and all the confusion only exist in the imagination of the peddlers.
“I went round and I am happy with the high level of compliance to the directive of the government that people should do their job and go about their businesses. It was highly phenomenal.
“People are doing their businesses. There is no lapse in security and we told them that if anybody tried to harass them or they saw something, we have a platform where they can call us.
“So, on behalf of my colleagues, I want to assure the good people of Enugu that their security is guaranteed. Any action of a person or persons to jeopardise the peace of the state will be ruthlessly dealt with. The consequences are going to be very harsh,” CP Uzuegbu stated.
