Governor Ikpeazu extends curfew in Abia

Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has extended the dusk to dawn curfew thats ongoing in the state as a result of clashes between soldiers and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The deployment of soldiers in the southeast for Operation Python Dance II has led to clashes this week with members of IPOBand their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

The clashes between the opposing sides led to GovernorIkpeazu, declaring a dusk to dawn curfew that was initially extended till Friday, September 15.

In a press statement signed by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos, on Friday, he revealed that the curfew has been extended again till Sunday, September 17.

According to the statement, the extension is part of efforts to make sure that peace and normalcy returns to the state that has witnessed scenes of unrest since Sunday, September 10.

The statement read, "After a profound review of the security situation across the state, we are compelled to extend the current curfew imposed on Aba to enable us consolidate the peace and normalcy that is gradually returning to the city.

"The government is therefore seeking your continuing support and understanding for the further extension of the dusk to dawn (6pm to 6am) curfew at Aba to Sunday 17th of September 2017."

The curfew will affect the resumption of students to their various schools, with the governor pushing it back till September 25.

"Furthermore, in order to ensure the safety of our children and wards who were billed to resume school on the 18th of September 2017, we hereby direct that the resumption be postponed till the 25th of September 2017 across the state.

"It is our hope that all the measures taken so far will help to rapidly restore full normalcy to all areas of the state," he added.

The governor also praised the officers of all the security services trying to restore peace to the state, promising residents that normalcy will soon return.

He said, "For a commercial city that is also the economic hub of the state and the southeast region, the effect of the socio-economic disruption at Aba is too massive to measure at this time and the government fully appreciates all the sacrifices made to ensure early restoration of normalcy.

"We also wish to commend the efforts of the men and women of the security services currently working round the clock to restore law and order and safeguard lives and properties of law abiding citizens and residents."

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Despite the governor's announcement on Thursday that soldiers will start withdrawing from the streets of Aba and Umuahia from Friday, the army is still going ahead with its Operation Python Dance II, an operation aimed at combating kidnapping, pipeline vandalism and other violent crimes in the southeast region.