.Govt Beef Up Security At Secretariat To Protect Workers
By Okey Alozie
The return of Monday sit-at-home and Unknown Gunmen is said to have brought serious threat in Imo State especially to Civil Servants.
Our roving reporter observed that a little spark or noise frightens people and make them take to their heels.
Report has it that penultimate Monday, workers deserted the State Secretariat and other Government Offices located at strategic places because of the threats as a result of sit-at-home order from IPOB.
People now live in fear and no longer go on with their normal businesses.
Against this backdrop the 3R Government led by Senator Hope Uzodinma has resolved to fight back and have beefed up security at strategic places to protect lives and property.
It was physically observed that security personel and their vehicles/ammunition have been stationed at the State Secretariat to protect workers as the place now is no go area for hoodlums and unknown gunmen.
Workers who came very early on Monday 8th of July 2023 saw the security personel moving around the State Secretariat located along Owerri, Portharcourt road and this made them relax in their various office and continued the business of the day.
The Head of Service Barr Raymond Ucheoma and the security men went round the State Secretariat to observe things. During the spot check, the Head of Service requested for the daily staff position and ordered that any staff who did not come to work must be queried.
He direct all the workers to add value to the system and obey government directive to avoid problems, adding that no directive or circular was given to any worker to stay on Mondays. He therefore advised workers to always come to work on Monday unless otherwise stated by the authority.
It would be recalled that residents of Owerri metropolis have some days be taken to the heels for safety because of the activities of unknown gunmen who is said to have layed siege at different locations.
In what appeared like fight against compliance of the earlier imposed sit-at-home across the South East region of the country which was rebuffed by the Governors including that of Imo State, it is now said to have resurfaced again.
An eye witness account who narrated the ugly scenario to our Newspaper house said the calm atmosphere enjoyed for some weeks now has been disrupted by hoodlums as schools, markets and banks were shut down as a result of fear of the unknown.
Report has it that for some days now gunshots are heard everywhere. Initially the driver conveying the pupils to their schools destinations and the school bus (names withheld) were taken away after sending the people from the school bus away.
While they zoomed off, the kids wandered aimlessly on the already deserted road due to fear of the gunshots.
Today as we gathered despite government moves to flush away the hoodlums people are still afraid of coming out for their normal businesses insisting that the State government should come out with full force to stop insecurity in the 27 Local Government Areas.
Some of the people who spoke to our reporter submitted that more security operatives and their security vehicles have to stationed at every corner for 24hrs to give people assurance that they will be well protected.
