By Christopher Oji
There are palpable fear and apprehension in Enugu State as the Police have withdrawn from public spaces.
The withdrawal is following the order of Enugu State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ahmed Ammani, who ordered the immediate withdrawal of men and officers of the command from public spaces.
According to a senior police officer,who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the order was following the attack on policemen and stations by yet-be identified gunmen.
Gunmen have resumed their hostility on Enugu residents went into hiding when a self acclaimed leader of the Indegenous people of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Njoku (a.k.a Simon Ekpa), declared a five day sit-at-home order on the entire Southeast.
The order by the Finland based Ekpa, even though was condemned by Easterners, including IPOB, was partially being enforced by gunmen loyal to Ekpa.
Spokesman for IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, in a statement, warned that IPOB would deal with anyone found to be enforcing the order. But since the order was pronounced by Ekpa, centre can no longer hold in the southeast region, especially in Enugu State.
The state commissioner of Police Ahemed Ammani, had ordered that Policemen should remain in the Barracks till further notice.
In an order to his men and officers, the CP ordered that, ” Assistant Commissioners of police (Area Commanders), Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), and Heads of Departments (HODs), should withdraw their officers and personnel to the Barracks.
“In view of the relivant security situation in the State, the CP has ordered with immediate effect that all ACPs, DPOs, and HODs, should confined in Barracks until further notice.
” Any officer who violates this warning shall be isolated for severe discipline action. Make this a subject of lecture to your personnel”.
The CP further warned that his directive must be complied with and treated as very important.
Following the order, the police have withdrawn from public spaces,while head of departments have commenced lectures to their subordinates to confine themselves to Baracks .
A check by our correspondent showed that the Police have abandoned Enugu State indegenes to their fate. The people now rely on the Eastern Security Network(ESN) for security.
An activist, Mark Chiedozie, has called on the IGP to do the needful by appealing to the police to take over the public places, fish out the gunmen instead of running away from their duties.
There was panic in the South-East ,when a viral video by self-acclaimed leader of the IPoB, Simon Ekpa, ordered people to observe a sit-at-home from December 9 to 14.