Ahmed Ammani, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, has promised to end the illegal sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafr, IPOB as he directed the deployment of more officers across the state to maintain public safety on Mondays and all other days.

This development comes after the new Enugu governor, Peter Mbah, cancelled the outlawed IPOB’s weekly sit-at-home instruction.

Many citizens of Enugu and the other four South-east states observe sit-at-home days on Mondays in accordance with the IPOB command, which the separatists group enforces with violence.

Scores of people have been murdered or injured, and businesses have been damaged for defying the order.

Governor Mbah, in his bid to deter the citizens of the state from obeying the outlawed group, announced on Saturday that schools, marketplaces, retail establishments, hospitals, public transportation, and malls that continue to obey the sit-at-home order would be closed.

The Enugu State governor also inaugurated a task force to monitor compliance with the new directive from Monday, 5 June.

In a statement released on Sunday by the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, he said he had directed strategic units to deploy people and operational resources to carry out the governor’s pronouncement.

The Enugu State Police Command promised to provide public security and safety for residents and property in the state on all days, including Mondays when the sit-at-home order is usually enforced by the IPOB.

The statement said: “I have ordered them to ensure that the strategies already devised to reverse the ugly trend are implemented to the letter and equally warned them that lapses on their part would not be tolerated.

“I have directed the supervisory officers and personnel under them to live up to expectations by ensuring that every part of the state is visibly patrolled.

“The personnel should also ensure that necessary policing actions are taken to forestall possible adverse activities of the undesirable criminal elements.

“Innocent and law-abiding residents deserve to go about their lawful businesses without fear of harassment or physical threats by unscrupulous and subversive criminal elements, enforcing the illegal sit-at-home order,’’ Mr Ammani said in the statement.

“Unrepentant criminal elements that take pleasure in wanton destruction should turn a new leaf as security forces shall not spare any person or individuals found wanting,’’ he said.

The commissioner appealed to residents to report criminals and their activities to the nearest police station or call the police emergency hotlines on 08032003702, 08075380883, 08086671202 or 08098880172 for necessary policing actions.