Disregard IPOB sit-at-home order, Police tells Enugu residents

The police command in Enugu state on Thursday said the recent sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra should be disregarded and urged residents to go about their normal businesses.
The Commissioner of police in the state, Mohammed Danmallam, said this in Enugu on Thursday during the meeting he held with the 17 local government chairmen in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the commissioner made the plea against the backdrop of the September 14 sit-at-home order across the South-East states by IPOB.
NAN gathered that IPOB had earlier written to various unions and associations in the state, including council areas, to shut down businesses and other activities.
The group has also posted notice of the sit-at-home order in strategic locations across the state.
Danmallam said: “The command is appealing that you use your good offices to help encourage residents of your areas to come out as usual to do their various businesses without fear of intimidation or molestation and not to succumb to any threat of sit at home by any faceless group.
“The peace and security in the state cannot be compromised, as nobody or group of persons whether known or faceless, will be allowed to threaten the existing peace and security.
“However, the command and other sister security agencies are on the trail of those in this habit of putting fear and panic in the minds of law abiding citizens with a view to arresting and bringing them to book.”
He commended the local government chairmen for maintaining peace and security in their respective domains and solicited their cooperation, before and after the controversial order.
He said: “I will seek your further co-operation to ensure that business activities as well as other activities take place before, during and after September 14 in your domain.
“The command is assuring you that security operatives are already on ground to ensure that members of the public go about their normal lawful businesses.”
NAN reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 21, 2017 gave judicial backing to the executive order of President Muhammadu Buhari, outlawing the IPOB and declared its activities as acts of terrorism and illegality.