The Rivers State Government in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria has imposed a curfew on the 23 Local Government Areas of the State with effect from Thursday over possibilities of deadly attacks across the oil-rich state.
The State Governor Nyesom Wike, in a statewide broadcast, said the decision to impose the curfew on the state was taken after an exhaustive deliberation by the State Security Council at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Thursday.
He recalled that on 28th April 2021, the State Security Council, in consideration of the recent murderous attacks on security personnel in Ikwerre and Abua/Odual Local Government Areas had imposed a night-time curfew on all entry and exit points with Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Imo States.
The governor in a statement by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri said after a review of the present security situation said there are possibilities of further deadly attacks on hard and soft targets across the State, saying the curfew was from 10 pm to 6 am.
“Accordingly, the State Security Council has, today, after exhaustive deliberation, decided and advised that a statewide curfew on human and vehicular movements be imposed as part of additional measures to prevent the faceless criminals from unleashing their deadly actions.
“Consequently, a night curfew is hereby imposed on the entire 23 Local Government Areas of the State prohibiting any human and or vehicular movement within or any part of the State from 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. from today 29th April 2021 until further notice,” Wike stated.
These drastic measures according to the Governor was to secure the State and guarantee the protection of lives and property and urged citizens to be vigilant and promptly report every suspicious movement in their neighbourhood to the security agencies.
By Abel Ejikeme