The Enugu State Government has clarified that it did not declare today as a public holiday or sit-at-home day, as being speculated in public spaces.
This is even as Anambra and Imo states Police commands said they have deployed their men to offices and schools to counter any threat to lives and property by hoodlums.
The statement by Enugu State Government, Anambra and Imo police commands followed threats by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, insisting on commemorating the Biafra Day in the South-East today.
IPOB said the day was set aside to honour those who died during the civil war between July 6, 1967 and January 15, 1970.
IPOB also warned that all activities in the South-East are banned on 30th May, calling on the governors in the region to provide adequate security for lives and property on that day.
Also, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, insisted that today’s celebration must be held despite threats by Nigerian security agents.
In a circular issued yesterday by Enugu State Head of Service, Ken Ugwu, and circulated to heads of state agencies, ministries, parastatals, academic and medical institutions and other sundry arms, the Head of Service said it became expedient to clarify that the state government did not declare today as a public holiday or sit-at-home day, contrary to misconceptions from some quarters.
According to the circular, “May I, therefore, remind our workers that failure to be in their duty posts today 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 held simultaneously across the entire West African sub region including the South Eastern region.
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“Enugu State government 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 same to the Office of the Head of Service before 11 am today, May 30, 2024. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”
It will be recalled that almost one year ago, Governor Peter Mbah engaged the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in a similar fisticuff which resulted in many casualties, including deaths and paralysis of social-economic activities.
The government also warned against the disruption of ongoing West African Examination Council exam in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Aka Eze Aka, yesterday, in Enugu.
Aka said there was no room for illegal IPOB activities in the state and urged the residents and pupils to go about their exams and normal activities today, assuring them of adequate security.
He said the state government noted with deep concern, the statement credited to IPOB directing WAEC to postpone the General Mathematics (Theory and Objectives) examinations scheduled for May 30, the day IPOB designated as “Biafra Heroes Day.”
He said: “We note with particular concern IPOB’s statement that the WAEC board should not endanger the lives of students because the day is not safe for any individual in Biafra territory.
“This is unacceptable to us, not only because of the well-known position of the Enugu State government on illegal sit-at-home orders, which have dealt a great blow to the socio-economic life and fortunes of the South-East region but also because of the far-reaching consequences of a whole generation of Enugu children failing to sit for a fundamental subject such as Mathematics in one year.”
The commissioner stressed that Igbo excel on the wings of industry, education, and human capital development, saying that any pronouncement or action that tends to deny the children their rights to education, which is their ticket to the future, was offensive.
He said the Igbo founding fathers and fallen heroes, who must be turning in their graves, would be wondering what could have happened to Igbo as a people.
