ARMY AND POLICE TO COLLABORATE ON SECURITY OVER MAY 30 IPOB SIT-AT-HOME ORDER

Ahead of May 30 sit-at-home order by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), security has been beefed up in the South East region, Asaba in Delta and Port Harcourt in Rivers states.

The Nigerian Army and Police have been put on alert for joint security operations in the vulnerable areas even as residents are urged to go about their normal businesses without fear of intimidation or molestation.

The development comes as IPOB insists that nothing will stop its members and the Biafran people from observing the sit-at-home order.

In Abia, the home state of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the group, Army and Police authorities have said they will commence joint security operations in the state from Monday, May 27, in lieu of the sit-at-home order to forestall any violence and molestation of residents.

Speaking on the army’s preparedness to meet any possible security challenges, a senior army officer of the 14 Brigade, Ohafia who spoke on condition of anonymity said the brigade had originally planned to carry out Operation Show of Force by Monday.

In Awka, the security situation is the same as the the state Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura declared that IPOB was still a proscribed organisation, hence its activities remained illegal and urged the people to ignore the order.

However, following the insistence of IPOB and the strength of their awareness creation which included hoisting of Biafran flags around the state, including Awka the state capital; police has launched a manhunt of members of the group.

The command said 12 of them  had been arrested on the Asaba -Onitsha expressway, while another 12 were apprehended along Ekwulobia-Uga road in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

In Port Harcourt, the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army has also declared its preparedness to assist the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order in Rivers State on May 30.

Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, in an interview, said that Army’s responsibility was to assist the Police whenever necessary. 

Iliyasu explained that the primary responsibility was on the Police, but that the Army would always work in collaboration with sister security agencies.

In Delta, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeyinka Adeleke, expressed the readiness of the command to check the activities of members of the proscribed IPOB.

CP Adeleke implored law-abiding citizens in Asaba and its environs to disregard the threats by the secessionist group and go about their lawful duties.

And in Ebonyi, the state command of the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said they have beefed up security in all the nooks and crannies of the state to ensure that there would be no break down of law and order.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Awosola Awotinde, said the police and other security agencies in the state had held a show of strength movement round the state.

He disclosed that about 100 Biafra flags hoisted by members of the IPOB had been mopped up by the police, saying that they would not relent in ensuring that the pro-Biafra group did not have a field day.