Enugu, Imo Review 24-Hour Curfew As Gov Uzodinma Releases N2bn For Youth Empowerment

The Enugu and Imo State governments have announced an adjustment to the 24-hour curfew imposed in the wake of the EndSARS protests.

While the curfew was reviewed to 6pm to 7am in Enugu, it was adjusted to 6pm to 6am in Imo.

According to the state commissioner for information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, the review followed the hardship occasioned by the 24-hour curfew imposed on the metropolis in the face of the #EndSARS protests.

Aroh said, “The 24-hour curfew imposed on Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu South local government areas stands lifted with effect from 7am on Sunday, 25th October, 2020. In its place, a 13-hour curfew (6pm to 7am) daily is imposed on Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu South LGAs with effect from 6pm on Sunday, 25th October, 2020 until further notice.”

He said the state had made arrangements for effective security in the state, stating that, “The commissioner of police, Enugu State Police Command, and other security agencies are hereby directed to ensure full compliance with this order. Persons involved in delivery of essential services, such as health care workers, staff of water corporation, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, fire service, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency, among others, shall continue to attend to their duties.”

In Imo, Governor Hope Uzodinma, Sunday, announced the relaxation of the 24-hour curfew in the state. The curfew will now take effect from 6pm to 6am every day with the exemption of people on essential services.

According to him, the development followed the gradual return of peace in the state.

He said, “In my search for peace, I met with a group of youths embedded in the #EndSARS protests across the nation. The group was made up of youth leaders from all parts of the country, comprising leaders from the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Arewa, Ohanaeze, Afenifere, Hausa, Fulani, Middle Belt and Niger Delta Youths, under the banner of the Coalition of Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders of Nigeria. My gospel to them was the same: ‘You have made your point and the relevant authorities have not only heard, but are also taking necessary actions’.”

While commending Imo youths for heeding to his call to quit the protest, Uzodinma added that, “You have demonstrated uncommon maturity and patriotism in a uniquely troubled time of our nation. The task is not complete until every single youth is pulled off our streets and kept a safe distance away from the reach of some unscrupulous elements whose demonic desire is to unleash endless carnage in some parts of the state.”

He regretted that the protest was hijacked by ‘a few unrepentant and unpatriotic elements who will want to cash in on crisis situations to execute their wicked agenda of mayhem against our state’, revealing that, “They entice and recruit unsuspecting youths as willing tools for their destructive crusade. This is what they are doing now, and we must say no to them.”

Uzodinma assured that the law would catch up with them.

In his words, “Intelligence reports at my disposal indicate that those behind the vicious burning of police stations, courts, INEC offices and local government headquarters in different parts of the state are not from Imo State. Every indication points that they are mercenaries hired to wreck havocs in the state. The sponsors of these mindless carnage are not far to fetch. Security operatives are on their trail. Sooner than later, they will all be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.”

He further announced the release of N2bn out of the N6bn his administration promised for youth empowerment.

According to him, “The N2bn take-off fund will be deployed for the training of the first batch of the beneficiaries of this scheme, which will commerce this week. The programme will train, in the first, second and third batches, an estimated number of 500, 000 Imo youths in different skills within the next two years, and provide them with start-up capital to begin their own enterprises. In this regard, the 5, 000 Imo youths who have already been trained in different skills are to be given their start-up capital very soon. The ministry will work out the details for this, in addition to the timetable for other training sessions.”