By Nwogha Ndubuisi and Agbo Amuche, Abakaliki

In a bid to checkmate increasing spate of criminalities and violence in parts of the State,Ebonyi State Government on Wednesday 28th April,2021 ordered native doctors and medicine dealers in the state to get registered with the Commissioner for Internal Security within one week or face sanctions, even as he impose a curfew in entry and exit points of the State.

The curfew which will be in place with effect from Wednesday 28th April 2021 and will last between 8pm to 6am daily .

Governor David Nweze Umahi announced this while briefing newsmen after an enlarged State Security Council meeting at new Government House, Ochoudo Centenary City, Abakaliki.

According to the Governor, it is to check influx of criminal elements into the State through the border areas.

In his words:”Effective from today, we are placing curfew on all the border entrance and exit from the State and no movement will be allowed in those areas but there will be movements in the town and am directing the Security Agencies and Ebubeagu people to enforce it, any one caught violating this is taking a risk of his or her life.

“I have directed all Security Agencies to crack down on all criminal activities in the state and for those who did the killings, the security agencies should bring them to book within 72 hours. There is so much fake news in Ebonyi State, I have directed whether you are in opposition, if you post fake news, you should be tracked down so that you will be going to court to prove whatever you are posting, so I advise the people, if you get a news you cannot defend don’t post it because if you post it, it becomes your news and you will answer for it”

Governor Umahi who decried the unabated killings of Security personnel in parts of the State by bandits warned people against fake news and directed Security Agencies to track down the purveyors of fake news and profile them for prosecution.

“We appeal to our people to stop attacking and killing Security men in Ebonyi State, burning down the infrastructure of Government and killing civilians, this is pure criminality, there is no agitation in this criminality and the State Security apparatus will descend on them”

He directed that all wake keeps and other Social activities must end by 6pm while defaulters would be made to pay fine of one million naira.

The Governor also directed Okada riders to form their own Security to be involved in identifying criminals using motorcycles to operate or risk the ban of motorcycles in the State while the ban of motorcycles on dual carriage ways would be reactivated with effect from Wednesday.

While explaining that the State Government has discovered that the attack on Umugadu people of Ohaukwu was carried out by Agila people using the herders as mercenaries said the State would embark on one week prayer from first May to seek the face of God over the hostilities in parts of the State.

The Governor who expressed happiness that peace was gradually returning to Effium, directed the Effium and Ezza Effium stakeholders to form joint vigilante to secure their environment, promising to assist them in provision of some logistics.

He, however made the presentation of 40 million naira each to people of Egedegede in Ishielu Local Government Area and Umugadu in Ohaukwu Local Government as compensation to families of those who lost their lives in the attacks and a Financial assistance to form vigilantes in their Communities.

The Governor announced that the Abakaliki Ring road Project would Commence in the month of May, saying the Effium axis would benefit from the project with the return of peace to the area.

He charged benefitting Communities to form vigilantes to secure the contractors and the materials to ensure smooth execution of the project.

The Governor opined that State Governments should evolve ways of negotiating with genuine agitators using credible personalities as a way of curtailing the disturbances in parts of the Country.

“Mr President is a good man, he means well for this Nation, you can castigate him if you don’t know the man, if we want to solve the Security problem, it is not just for Security men, it is for all of us, alot of insecurity is caused by fake news, if anyone posts fake news, we will track the person and make him to face the law, I have to appeal to leaders to be mindful of their utterances, alot of the Nation leaders are talking anyhow and war does no one any good”

The Governor also unveiled the Ebubeagu Security outfit in their full operational regalia with the charge to complement the conventional Security Agencies in taming insecurity across the State.

The Governor announced that all native Doctors and Medicine dealers in the State should get registered with the Commissioner for Internal Security within one week or face sanctions.