The Anambra State Government, has reacted to the two-week sit-at-home in the Southeast ordered by Simon Ekpa, saying it will do all within its powers to protect people of the state who come out to do their legitimate businesses.
The State Government reacted through a statement from the Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu.
Ekpa had declared the sit-at-home, allegedly to press home the demands for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
However, a handwritten letter by Mazi Kanu which appeared online last week, and which the IPOB had also confirmed that it was authentic, had asked Ekpa to stand down the senseless orders, due to the hardship it is causing the region.
According to the Anambra Information Commissioner, the State Government has concluded arrangements to massively unleash all the arms of the state’s security agencies on every available space to ensure law and order ss well as protect lives and property.
This he said, is to enable the people go about their legitimate businesses without fear of molestation.
Sir Nwosu maintained that no responsible government will sit by and watch its economy being destroyed mindlessly.
“Our people are already grappling with the ripple effects of the removal of fuel subsidy and it will be unfair to further compound their plight by allowing somebody to lock down the economy for a whopping two weeks. That would be an unkind thing to do.
“To be able to secure the lives of our people on a sustainable basis, all the security agencies have been fully mobilized to be on red alert to protect lives and property through constant patrols and encampments at strategic locations.
“There is enough security in place to protect our people. There is no reason whatsoever to fear.
“Governor Chukwuma Soludo has reassured us all that fear is neither here nor there because the tiny minority oppressing the majority of our people can be flushed out, once there is unity among us all. So, let’s all unite to take back our Mondays in Anambra State,” Nwosu said.
“Anambra State has been losing billions of naira with every Monday sit-at-home.
And when it runs into days and weeks, you can imagine what that amounts to. Consequently our businesses are relocating to across the Niger Bridge. This is no longer acceptable.”
He argued that “going by what we have seen in the recent past, the so called Ekpa’s pressure or punitive actions are not felt at Abuja where it would have mattered but on our people – the same people he wants to liberate. It doesn’t make sense.
“Moreover, the Mazi Nnamdi Kanu led IPOB has repeatedly issued public statements canceling all manner of sit-at-home because it is his people that suffer. It is his home economy that takes a direct hit.
“So you may want to rightly ask: Who is Simon Ekpa working for? What is his objective? Time will tell!” the Commissioner concluded.
