Biafra Heroes Day: Tension In Enugu Over Sit-At-Home Order
Economic and social activities were paralysed in the Enugu metropolis on Thursday as residents amid total compliance with the sit-at-home order of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to remember Igbo people who died in the 1967-70 Nigerian Civil War.
Ibom Focus observed that schools were closed but Senior Secondary School 3 and Junior Secondary School 3 students taking the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) were seen trekking to their examination centres.
Petrol stations, markets and shopping malls were closed. Street trading was also nonexistent on Thursday for the Biafra Heroes Day celebration in Enugu State.
Also, transporters withdrew their services from the roads, leaving a few people who chose to go to work as mandated by the state government stranded.
Many people who left home early to get to work were forced to return home, leaving the roads deserted.
It was reported on Wednesday that Governor Peter Mbah’s administration had threatened to dismiss state workers who observed the sit-at-home exercise as declared by IPOB, insisting that there is no public holiday on May 30 in the state.
The government in a circular entitled “Clarification on Attendance to Duty on Thursday 30th May, 2024,” signed by the Head of Service, Mr. Ken Ugwu, said: “It has become expedient to clarify that the State Government has not declared Thursday, 30th May, 2024 as a public holiday or sit-at-home day contrary to misconceptions from some quarters.
“May I, therefore, remind our workers that failure to be in their duty posts on the above date will attract summary dismissal from Service in line with the enabling provisions of the Public Service Rules.
“It must be noted that such purported public holiday/sit-at-home will have far-reaching consequences on the academic pursuit of our children, who are taking part in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations holding simultaneously across the nation, including the South Eastem region.
“Enugu State Govemment strongly frowns at any calculated attempt to mortgage the future of our children and has, therefore, put in place necessary security arrangements to guarantee the safety and unrestricted movement of all citizens and residents within the State.
“All Permanent Secretaries, Directors of Administration, Heads of Departments, and agencies of Government are directed to take a roll call of all those who came to work and return the same to the Office of the Head of Service before 11 am on Thursday, 30th May, 2024.
“To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”
