Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State, has declared a curfew in the state.
Soludo made the announcement during a state broadcast in Awka on Wednesday evening.
According to the governor, the curfew will go into effect on Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
He said, “With effect from tomorrow, Thursday, 26th May, 2022, a 6pm to 6am curfew is hereby placed on motorcycles (okada), tricycles (keke), and shuttle buses in the Aguata, Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Nnewi North, Nnewi South, Ogbaru, Orumba North and Orumba South Local Governments until further notice. Until further notice also, motorcycles, keke and shuttle buses are banned from operating in these local governments on Mondays until the Sit-at-Home completely stops.
“The youths of every community in the zone are hereby enjoined to assist the security agencies in the implementation of this policy and are mandated to seize any such motorcycle or tricycle on the spot.
“Local Vigilantes should report such motorcycles or tricycles (keke) immediately, and they will be confiscated by the government and the owner prosecuted.
“The Okada, Keke, and shuttle bus union leaders must take responsibility to report their members who are involved in criminal activities. We shall review this after two weeks, and if members of these unions continue to be involved in criminal activities, the government will have no choice but to either disband the Unions and/or ban them outrightly in the state.”
The governor also directed land owners and communities to take charge of their property and ensure that no property was used by criminals as camps or hideouts.
“No part of Anambra State (house, bush or forest) shall be used as camps for these criminals. Anyone with a gun in a camp is considered a criminal in Anambra State, and the government and people will work with security agencies to flush them out. The state government shall, pursuant to its powers under the Land Use Act, revoke and acquire any land found to be harbouring these criminals, for public purpose.
“Henceforth, every community is required to provide information on any part of their land occupied by these criminals as camps. If the community fails to do so, the government will take over such land.
“All communities are hereby charged to take over their communities completely and through the leadership of their Town Unions and Traditional Rulers give weekly security reports (submitted every Friday) to the state government on the state of security in their communities.
“The cooperation of the youths in that regard is now imperative. I charge the vigilantes of each community to rise to the occasion and contend with these criminals in your locality whether they are in your bush or the houses in your community.
“The state government expects the report of any progress made in this regard and shall support and reward you accordingly,” the governor said.