New Telegraph

Ebonyi: Police, soldiers, youths chase away hoodlums

  • Banks, schools, shops, filling stations shut

 

  • B petrol, kerosene go for N400, N320

 

 

Soldiers, policemen, members of the Neighbourhood Security Watch (NSW) and Akubaraoha Youth Assembly yesterday took control of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

 

This was to ensure hoodlums stop further destruction of public properties in the metropolis. However, banks, schools, filling stations, shops and other business entities in the city did not open while traders in markets were scanty.

 

Fuel was sold for N400 per litre in various black markets especially in Ugwuachara and Ozibo/Echiaba on the outskirts of the city while motorists and other petrol users struggled to buy the commodity. Buyers besieged the sellers when our correspondent monitored some parts of the city.

 

Also, a litre of kerosene was sold for between N300 and N320 in the black markets where it was only available.

 

There were no vehicular and human movements on strategic   roads in the metropolis, including Ezza Road, Afikpo Road, Ogoja Road, old Enugu Road, Abaka liki/Enugu Highway, Abakaliki/ Afikpo/ Onueke Highway, among others..this came on the heels of a a 24-hour curfew imposed on the state by Governor Dave Umahi on Wednesday night after hoodlums overran the city and burnt down two police stations – Kpirikpiri and Ekeaba police stations – and destroyed other amenities.

 

As a result of the curfew, only soldiers, policemen, other security personnel, the state-owned NSW) and members of Akubaraoha Youth Assembly were patrolling strategic roads in the city.

 

Umahi had announced the curfew following the activities of hoodlums which caused insecurity and tension in the state. Some people chanting war songs took over Abakaliki on Wednesday. They made bonfires and set up roadblocks in the city.

 

Sad over their activities, the governor ordered security agents to close all the entry points into the state.

 

According to him, the hoodlums were shipped into the state from outside. He said: “Let me first pay my condolence to all those who lost their lives in the cause of this agitation tagged #EndSARS.

 

“We leaders did not see anything wrong in the demands of our young children.

 

However, it is very unfortunate that these wonderful young children have been infiltrated by hoodlums who now started to burn properties of innocent citizens.

Read Previous

Two policemen burnt to death in Ibadan

Read Next

Declare emergency on security architecture, PDP tells Buhari

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *