A combined team of security operatives from the Enugu State Police Command, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies have vowed to continue to protect Enugu residents from any form of security breaches. They urged the people to go about their normal business without fear.
The security task force issued this statement on Thursday in Enugu after reviewing the gains made so far in ensuring that criminals hitherto enforcing sit-at-home were sacked from the state.
According to them, due to the combined efforts of the security agencies, no attack has been recorded in any part of the state.
While appealing to Enugu residents to ignore rumours of sit-at-home on Friday, the joint security team said they were on the ground to protect lives and property.
“We are on the ground to protect the lives and property of our citizens. Our men have been deployed to all locations across the state and the task of ensuring that our people can go out without fear of molestation or intimidation has been taken care of.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our combined security forces have been reinforced and we are assuring Enugu people to come out tomorrow – Friday – and go about their normal businesses.
“We are aware of some scaremongering and social media terrorists who have been roundly defeated and only venting their frustration through the use of fake news. We are fishing them out with the full weight of the law.
“Let us reiterate once again; Enugu residents should disregard any fake news of sit-at-home tomorrow. We have taken the battle to them and they have been flushed out.
“Enugu State is safe for law-abiding citizens,” part of the statement reads.
It had been reported that there were commotion and panic in the state capital on Wednesday as residents scampered to safety in various parts of the coal city over rumours of unknown gunmen enforcing a one-week sit-at-home.
According to reports, schools and markets were abruptly shut down after the rumours spread despite the presence of security operatives on major roads and strategic places.
It was also observed that students in schools with no perimeter fences were immediately asked to go home. Meanwhile, the sit-at-home is expected to continue on Friday, after the pro-Biafra group led by Simon Ekpa asked residents to go out on Thursday to do their business but stay home on Friday.