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Iheanyi Chukwudi
Schools, markets or shops that fail to open and function normally from in Enugu State on the on account of the illegal one week sit-at-home order declared by faceless non-state actors in the South East will risk, indefinite shutdown by the state government.
The state government on Tuesday warned that it will come down hardly on any school, market or shop that will obey the illegal sit-at-home.
It expressed dismay over alleged directives by proprietors of private schools in the state to their pupils and students not to come to school from Monday because of said illegal sit-at-home order and vowed to revoke the license of any school that refused to open and function normally immediately.
In a public service announcement issued by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Chidiebere Onyia, the government also warned that it will also come down hard on purveyors of fake news and those who encourage the illegal order on social media.
Government said it will deploy the full instrumentality of the law such as the Cybercrime Act 2015 to go after and prosecute anybody, individuals, groups and organisations that were intentionally encouraging the illegal sit-at-home order, by “instilling fear on residents, raising false alarm to disturb public peace, etc, through fake news sharing and propagation of falsehood connected with the illegal sit-at-home order on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, etc.”
It also reiterated its ban on any form of illegal sit-at-home in all parts of the state, describing it as evil and antithetical to all values that the people hold dear to, such as the Igbo spirit of industry, hard work, creativity and productivity.
The SSG’s statement reads in parts, “The attention of the Enugu State Government has been drawn to reports on social media this Tuesday morning that proprietors of private schools in the state are sending messages to their pupils and students to the effect that they should not come to school from today on account of the illegal one week sit-at-home order allegedly declared by faceless non-state actors in the state.
“The Enugu State Government is alarmed and dismayed by this development and hereby warns that any school that fails to open and function normally from today will have its license revoked immediately.
“The Enugu State Government also extends the same warning to market unions and shop owners in the state. All markets and shops in the various markets must be open to customers from today or be shut down indefinitely.”
It urged the public to go about their normal daily activities assuring that it has put in place adequate security measures to protect lives and property, warning however, that it will no longer sit by and watch faceless groups and misguided individuals issue illegal orders, dictating to “us how to lead our lives, when to go to work or market and when our children go to school, while they ply their trade and their children go to school. This is no longer acceptable and must be confronted and defeated with every power and resources at our disposal.”
The government however, said its decision to enforce some laws is not to work against the people’s human rights, “This, however, is by no means, depriving citizens freedom of speech and information as enshrined in the constitution,” the statement added.
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