Enugu State Police Command, yesterday, beefed-up security on the streets of the metropolis to restore normalcy as unknown gunmen reportedly killed two persons, and also set a police vehicle ablaze in front of Colliery Hospital, at New Market while enforcing sit at home in the state.
The development came less than 24 hours after a State Security Council meeting presided over by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The two persons were felled by bullets that ravaged the new market axis of the state, fired by some hoodlums allegedly attempting to enforce the five-day sit at home order declared by one Simeon Ekpa.
Ekpa had ordered the five-day sit at home in the South East beginning from last Friday to “prepare for no election in 2023 in the region.”
The hoodlums numbering about 10 stormed the area as early as 6:am, yesterday, shot sporadically and scared shoppers and traders away from the market.
A viral video showed two victims lying lifeless in front of the Enugu University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu. They were identified as early morning traders said to have been hit by the bullets of the sit-at-home enforcers.
The development immediately forced Enugu residents indoors for fear of further attack.
However, normalcy returned to the axis and across the metropolis later in the day following the deployment of Police operatives apparently to hunt down the armed hoodlums, who shot sporadically and breached public peace in the area.
Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner, Ahmed Ammani, yesterday, ordered area commanders, divisional police officers and commanders of all the tactical/operational units of the Command to ensure the maximum deployment of intelligence and operational resources at their disposal to effectively patrol and fish out miscreants that may want to disturb public peace, security and businesses.
In a statement issued through the command’ spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, the CP reassured that the Command, collaborating with other security agencies and law-abiding citizens, will never rest on its oars in ensuring that the lives and property of the citizenry are protected.
The Commissioner further urged residents to continue to support and cooperate with the Police and other security agencies, in their unwavering quest to quell the activities of the of criminal elements.
