President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to review the security situation in the South-east.
This, the president said, was with a view to ending spate of criminal activities across the region in recent time.
This is coming amid the renewed order for the enforcement of the sit-at-home among residents in Owerri, the state capital.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media Garba Shehu announced this in a statement Monday.
The statement also said Buhari would meet with the Imo state governor, Hope Uzodinma, as well as Minister of Power Abubakar Aliyu, and the president’s chief economic adviser, Prof. Doyin Salami.
Shehu said the president would meet with them separately and be briefed on the latest developments in Imo state, the power sector and the state of the economy.
“It would be recalled that the President while condemning the spate of violence in Imo State in the aftermath of the destruction of buildings and assets of the Police and the home of Prof. George Obiozor, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, pledged to review the security situation in southeast Nigeria,” the statement read.
In the aftermath of the arson on the home of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. Obiozor, Buhari had condemned the spate of violence in Imo state which has seen the destruction of buildings and assets of the police.
The president had also expressed concern over frequent power outages, apologising to Nigerians and assuring of prompt solution to the challenges.
He explained that it was caused by a drastic decline in hydroelectric generation due to seasonal pressure, technical and supply problems at the country’s thermal stations.
Buhari also noted that another major cause of the grid failures was low gas power generation due to vandalisation of gas pipelines.
Sit-at-home resumes in Imo
Meanwhile, more than six months after Imo residents, especially those living in Owerri, the state capital, stopped observing the mandatory Monday sit-at-home, the exercise has resumed in earnest.
This followed the deadly attacks at the weekend which saw the Umuguma Police station in Owerri West razed, with two policemen dead and vehicles destroyed.
Also, there was a repeated attack on Omuma, Oru East Police station and the unexpected attack on the country home of Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General, Prof George Obiozor in Awommama, Oru East local government area of the state.
It was also gathered that a memo on the enforcement of Monday sit-at-home was circulated around the state by a yet-to-be identified group, making it an offence for Imo residents to come out on Mondays.
Blueprint correspondent who went round the capital city, gathered that commercial banks, markets, shopping malls were shut, while primary and secondary school pupils who went to school in the morning, were later asked to go back home. Also, a few vehicles were seen on the roads as a result of residents’ compliance.
Attack on Obiozor’s residence daring – Atiku
Similarly, the 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the attack on the Imo state residence of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Atiku, in a press release by his media office in Abuja Monday, said the attack “was daring and obnoxious.”
“According to the former Vice President, this attack further reinforces the need to firm up security across the country as a situation where elder statesmen become targets of incendiary attacks is inexcusable.
“The statement expresses sympathy with the President-General of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Obiozor and his family and calls on relevant law enforcement operatives to step up investigations in order to apprehend the assailants and bring them to justice,” it said.
Monarch, 19 others killed in Zamfara
In a related development, about 21 persons, including the village head, were killed by terrorists in Ganar-Kiyawa village of Adabka District, Bukkuyum local government area of Zamfara state
The latest attack happened Sunday morning at about 8:30 am when the gunmen stormed the community and started shooting sporadically.
According to Channels Television, the bandits also attacked some surrounding villages, looted shops, and carted away some valuables.
A source from the area who spoke on condition of anonymity said communities under Adabka ward had been witnessing a series of attacks and abductions from the bandits.
“Today’s (Sunday) attack was a major one; they have been coming almost on a daily basis to abduct people, majorly women, and children,” the source said.
He said residents of Ganar Kiyawa have been sleeping in the bush for fear of further attack by the terrorists in their homes.
When asked about the response of security agencies, he said the military was only stationed at Adabka and Gwashi town, leaving other villages vulnerable to bandits’ attacks.
“The security agencies are not enough to mount all the villages around. We only have a military presence in two major places, Adabka town, and Gwashi.
“All other villages around are left uncovered by the security agencies so these people (bandits) can just go out anytime they wish to and attack people,” he said.
Police authorities in the state have yet to confirm the latest attack.
24-hour curfew in Kaduna LGs
Also, Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai has declared 24-hour curfew in two local government areas of the state to curb the trend of terrorism in the affected areas.
A statement issued Monday by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the curfew took immediate effect in the two affected councils of Jema’a and Kaura local government areas.
Aruwan said the measure was taken by the government following security advice.
Giving reasons for adopting the curfew as a last resort, Aruwan said: “This is to assist the security agencies to stabilise the situation in the areas, save lives and property and enable the restoration of law and order.”
“The security agencies in the state have full authorisation to enforce the curfew.
“Government appeals to all residents of Jema’a and Kaura LGAs to cooperate with the security agencies in the urgent task of restoring peace and upholding law and order.
“Government condemns the violence and all acts of lawlessness that have occurred in the area,” the commissioner added.
