•Begins training of personnel for combat readiness in S-East, S-South

•Blames non-state actors for festering insecurity

•Commercial activities grounded in southeast despite IPOB cancellation of sit-at-home order

•Go about your normal business, Monday sit-at-home remains suspended-IPOB

•Deal decisively with IPOB members, IGP orders Delta police

By Vincent Ujumadu, Peter Okutu, Nwabueze Okonkwo, Chinedu Adonu, Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Ugochukwu Alaribe, Ikechukwu Odu, Steve Oko & Emmanuel Iheaka

The  Nigerian Army yesterday warned those enforcing lockdown to desist or face the full wrath of the law.

The General Officer, Commanding, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major General T.A. Lagbaja, who gave the warning, also said the Army was training its personnel for combat readiness in South East and South South geo-political zones.

This came as the suspended sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, continued across states in the southeast and some parts of the South-South, as commercial activities remained grounded in the zone.

Offices, markets and banks remained closed for the day.

This is even as the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, also yesterday charged Delta State police command to go tough on criminals and members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra in the state.

” Those promoting and enforcing lockdown in the South East should have a rethink and anybody that foments any trouble will face the law,” Major General Lagbaja said.

Army training

Major  Gen. T.A Lagbaja, who spoke at the commencement of the 2021 Inter-Brigade Combat Proficiency Competition among Army formations under the Division at 14 Brigade Ohafia, blamed the festering insecurity in Nigeria on non-state actors hell-bent on destabilizing the country, stressing that the Nigerian Army was prepared to deal with the situation.

General Lagbaja warned those behind the unrest in parts of the country to retrace their steps as the Army would not hesitate to deal with anybody fomenting trouble in society.

The GOC, who was represented by Brigadier Gen. Emmanuel Mustafa, said the Army and other sister security agencies were currently faced with enormous security challenges but noted that they were not overwhelmed nor would they put down their guard.

He identified some of the security challenges confronting the country to include insurrection, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and ethno-religious crises.

These challenges, according to him, are the reasons “the Nigerian Army has placed high premium in quality training of its personnel across the board”.

The GOC said the competition involving four Army formations under the 82 Division was aimed at enhancing the professionalism and combat readiness of the army personnel.

“This is designed to enhance their leadership capabilities, organizational abilities and to prepare them for future tasks in defense of Nigeria “

He tasked participants at the competition to take the training seriously and conduct themselves professionally throughout the exercise.

In his remarks, the Brigade Commander, 14 Brigade Ohafia, Brig. Gen. Muhammed Bello Wabili, said the competition was basically to improve officers’ physical fitness and combat readiness.

He said that the recent surge in insecurity across the country had made the training more compelling as the Nigerian Army has become increasingly engaged in combat operations in different parts of the country.

“The physical and emotional preparedness of our personnel is of paramount importance, and can only be achieved through regular training”, he said.

” We need to position our personnel for all contingencies against emerging threats”, he added.

The events to be competed for, according to him include weapon handling, half-cross country, navigation, obstacle crossing, and combat swimming.

The teams participating in the exercise include 34 Brigade/304 Artillery Owerri; the 13 Brigade Calabar; the 14 Brigade Ohafia; and 82 Division Garrison/ 103 Battalion Enugu.

Each participating team is to feature 20 officers of the rank of Second Lieutenant to Major.

Winners are expected to emerge at the end of the five-day event.

Continued sit-at-home

It’ was a similar story across the southeast as the entire region was yesterday shut down in continuation of the Monday sit-at-home despite IPOB suspending it. From Anambra to Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia, commercial activities were grounded in major cities in the states in observance of the sit-at-home.

In Anambra State, the secretariat was open but most workers did not go to their offices while traffic was light in the major cities of the state.

Some shop owners in Awka, who were seen around their places of business, said they were just studying the situation, adding that they might open for business later in the day.

“I heard that IPOB has suspended the sit–at–home, but I did not want to take chances. I came out not to open my shop but I can do that if the coast is clear later”, one of the shop owners at the popular Aroma in Awka said.

It was the same story in Onitsha and Nnewi, the commercial and industrial cities respectively of Anambra State.

All the markets in the two cities including the highly populated and one of the biggest markets in West Africa, the Onitsha Main Market, and the biggest Motor Spare Parts Market in Africa, the Nkwo Nnewi Markets were all shut down yesterday.

All the major roads and streets in the two business towns and their  suburbs were deserted with banks located in them under lock and key, just as artisan shops both on the roads and the streets in the towns were deserted from normal business activities.

Even State and Federal Government establishments like hospitals and Federal Inland Revenue Services were shut as customers, workers and patients avoided visiting them.

Some of the people who spoke to Vanguard including IPOB’s Spokesman, Emma Powerful  said that IPOB listened to the wise counsel of some eminent Igbos leaders, including the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, that the Monday sit-at-home should be suspended and the pro-Biafra group did the needful.

READ ALSO: Insecurity: Army begins training of personnel in S’East, S’South on weapon handling, combat readiness

Powerful accused the southeast Governors of  allowing the sit-at-home to continue to paint IPOB black  and incite its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, against the people of South East and the Federal Government so they will continue to hold him with the impression that his release will not ensure peace in southeast and Nigeria.

IPOB also accused the southeast Governors of using market leaders who have refused to open their  markets to traders and their customers coming from outside the South East to achieve the evil plan of ensuring continued incarceration of Mazi Kanu and destruction of IPOB’s image.

“Southeast Governors and their lily-livered market leaders, including their hand-picked Transition Local Government Chairmen are to be blamed for the continued shutting down of markets, businesses, commercial and government activities in Anambra State and other southeast states.

“You know almost all the market leaders in Anambra State are government-appointed. Local Government Chairmen are all appointed by the state government, so they must do the bidding of the governors.

“This is a big ploy and high-level politics being played by southeast governors to destroy and demonize IPOB like they have been doing. If not, why would markets remain closed two weeks after IPOB has   suspended their earlier directed sit-at-home?”

According to Comrade Powerful, “We don’t know what next they need from us to go back to their businesses. The clueless South East Governors and the market leaders should be blamed for not opening the markets and re-assuring the traders and the banks that they are safe when they go back to their markets.

“The governors should secure the traders and their markets. IPOB does not carry guns. If  gunmen have been terrorizing people on Mondays, they should look beyond IPOB and ESN. We are not involved in such a heinous crime and will never be involved because it is not part of our mandate. We secure our people, we don’t kill them.”

In Enugu, commercial activities stood still yesterday as residents abandoned  the streets and roads despite the suspension of the sit-at-home order earlier declared.

Our reporter who moved around the metropolis learnt that markets, banks, amusement parks, motor parks as well as street shops were under lock and key when nobody or group forced people to remain at home.

There was no movement of commercial vehicles  on the streets as youths took  advantage of it to plays football on major streets of Enugu.

It was also gathered that some civil servants in the state could not go to work because there was no vehicular movement.

A businessman, Mr. Ikechukwu Edeh, said he didn’t go to the market to show solidarity for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He said Ndigbo need freedom and until Kanu is released unconditionally, he will not go to work on Mondays as was stipulated before now.

Also, a butcher at Ogbete Market, Mr. Friday Agu, said that the information about the suspension came late and   he could not risk going to market, stressing that nobody would patronise him.

In Owerri, banks, offices, and most business outfits were shut yesterday for the third time in a row.

Major roads in Owerri, the capital city were also deserted, as one could count the number of vehicles on the roads which on a normal Monday would record traffic jams.

The Orlu area of the state was the worst hit, as residents stayed at home. Orlu axis of the state for some time has recorded violent attacks.

Some residents of Owerri who spoke to our correspondent maintained that it was wise and precautionary to stay back home on Mondays even though IPOB had announced the suspension of the sit-at-home order it earlier pronounced.

A commercial bus driver, Josiah Amadi, who spoke with our correspondent wondered why residents of the state have decided not to go about their normal businesses on a Monday even after the cancellation of the sit-at-home order.

“I know IPOB said the sit-at-home is canceled. But I think people are just afraid. I don’t know why they are afraid of going about their businesses. I think with time, people will start coming out.”

In Aba, business centres and roads were   shut down. The roads were deserted as no motorist was on sight. Banks, markets like Ariaria international, Ahia Ohuu, and Eziukwu were also deserted as traders and customers stayed away.

The city was a ghost town as even the ubiquitous tricycle operators deserted the roads.

However, it is a different story in Umuahia as some motorists ply the roads conveying passengers to their destinations. But banks,motor parks, and markets were shut even as government offices were open for business.

Most of the residents who spoke to Vanguard said they stayed away from their businesses for fear of attack by hoodlums who used the occasion to attack them and loot their shops.

However, other residents commended IPOB for suspending the sit-at-home order but called on the government to provide adequate security to protect lives and property in the state.

In Nsukka, commercial and social activities in the metropolis, Nsukka Local Government Area  and the adjoining local government areas of Igbo-Eze North, and Udenu, continued  the sit-at-home. Banks and major markets, including street trading were deserted.

Though the leadership of IPoB insists that the order has been suspended, residents of the university town  who spoke to Vanguard doubted the authenticity of the suspension order, adding that it was influenced by the Nigerian government to douse the spirit of agitation in Igboland.

According to a resident of Nsukka metropolis who identified himself as Isaac, the order should serve as a wake-up call to bad politicians from Igboland, adding that people are already fed up with bad governance and have embraced Nnamdi Kanu, who they see as the only one who can turn-around the bad governance both in Igboland and Nigeria at large,” he said.

Ebonyi State is not different. Major roads and streets were deserted as business activities were crippled following the development.

Filling stations didn’t open for business. Commercial vehicles, keke operators and okada riders rendered skeletal services as most persons were seen trekking along the streets of Abakaliki.

Business activities within Abakaliki metropolis were grounded even till 5:30pm.

When Vanguard visited some streets within Abakaliki, the environment looked as if the people of the area were observing a public holiday.

Deal decisively with IPOB members, IGP orders Delta Police

Alkali, who stated this yesterday during the familarisation visit to the state police command in Asaba, said cops who could work in Delta could police any part of the country.

He said: “If you are able to work in Delta, you can work in any part of Nigeria. That’s why we are creating more areas command, divisions to bring police nearer to the people.

“You are trying your best but your best is not good enough. Anything that happen in Anambra State will affect Delta State especially Asaba.

“That is why you must prepare to deal with any criminal especially IPOB group. There are spill – over agitation or demonstration from Onitsha to Asaba.

“Brace up to IPOB challenge because it is a proscribed organisation and treat them as such. It is unfortunate that #EndSARS started from Delta State.”

On logistics, the IGP assured the command that bullet-proof vests, teargas canisters, helmets and others would be provided before Anambra election.

Earlier, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ali, lamented the shortage of manpower especially in marine policing in the state.

Ali stated that of late, the command has arrested over 912 cultists, 217 armed robbers, 194 kidnappers, 94 murderers, adding that 87 kidnapped victims were rescued, while a total of 253 guns and 8,756 ammunition were recovered.

Vanguard News Nigeria