The Enugu government says it has tracked down some hoodlums enforcing illegal weeklong sit-at-home order in the state.

The secretary to the state government, Chidiebere Onyia, said this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, those engaged in scaremongering through fake videos and images, had been tracked down, apprehended and were being brought to book.

Mr Onyia directed offices, schools, business premises, markets, including Ogbete Main Market, among others, to disregard the sit-at-home order on Friday and open for business.

He warned that failure to comply with this directive would be deemed as willful undermining of government’s policy and efforts to restore full working days, productivity, and entrepreneurship in Enugu, and will as such be met with appropriate sanctions.

“The Enugu state government wishes to remind citizens and residents of the state that work, business, schooling and other legitimate endeavours will continue on Friday, July 7, 2023. Government urges members of the public to disregard any scaremongers and go about their businesses, as security measures are fully in place to continue to enforce law and order and safeguard lives and property,” said the statement.

It added, “It is noteworthy that many enemies of Enugu state and Igboland, the hoodlums, anarchists, and criminal elements, hide under freedom agitation to perpetrate destruction, violent crimes. We are winning the war and therefore call on Ndi Enugu to volunteer information to the authorities on any suspicious person and movement as well as those who use the social media to spread rumours and instigate panic among the members of the public.”

The factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, had declared one-week (July 3 to 10) sit-at-home order in the South-East to press for the release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.

(NAN)