#EndSARS: Enugu Gov Ugwuanyi Declares Curfew To Prevent ‘Mayhem’

Following the degeneration of the protest against police brutalities in Enugu, Wednesday, the state governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on the three metropolitan local governments of Enugu East, Enugu North, and Enugu South.

According to a statement from the state information commissioner, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, the curfew was imposed because of the hijack of #EndSARS protests by ‘miscreants who plan to unleash mayhem’. The curfew is effective 7pm today until further notice, according to Aroh.

Aroh stated that, “The decision followed the observed hijack of #EndSARS protests, which had been peaceful in the past days, by miscreants who plan to unleash mayhem. The governor, in fulfillment of his primary responsibility of protection of lives and property of all law-abiding residents in the state, has, therefore, ordered the imposition of the curfew in the above-mentioned local governments until further notice. Parents/guardians are enjoined to prevail on their wards to desist from any unlawful conduct while the youth in Enugu State are also urged to remain calm and law-abiding as the Enugu State government has taken steps to address the issues at stake, including the inauguration of a judicial panel of inquiry on police brutalities and related extra-judicial killings earlier this afternoon.”

Meanwhile, the New Market axis of the metropolis witnessed heavy exchanges of gun shots as security operatives in mufti tried to scare the protesters, who were burning tyres and blockading the roads around the area. With the seeming degeneration of the protest to anarchy, the operatives, who began their patrol from the disbanded SARS’s office, scared the protesters by firing into the air.

Unconfirmed reports said at least two persons were injured. The shooting display forced traders and other passersby to scamper for safety.

An eyewitness said, “The matter got worse when some protesters began to search vehicles and verbally saying they were looking for police operatives. Peace has now returned, but what happened is not what we had expected. The governor is being proactive.”