..as South-East loses N10.4bn per day to weekly sit-at-home
Imo State residents, whose personal lives and businesses have for long been disrupted by bandits, seem set for a respite, as the Nigerian Army 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze in Imo State, reads the riot act to criminals.
Brigadier General Usman Lawal, the new commander of the Nigerian Army 34 Artillery Brigade, Imo State, has vowed to go after the bandits who have been disturbing the peace of the state and smoke them out of their hideouts.
This follows on overt statements over the weeks, from the Presidency, the military high command and governors of Nigeria’s south-eastern states, promising a renewed onslaught against bandits who have disturbed the peace in the area, especially restricting business activities on Mondays, under threat of death and bodily harm to residents.
By 9th August, last year, it wil be 730 days since the South-east region began to observe the weekly sit-at-home exercise as declared by proponents of separatist state of Biafra, to press for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Of the 730 days, every Monday, beginning from August 9, 2021 had been observed as sit-at-home in the region, thus grounding economic activities in the region and causing the region an estimated loss of N7.6 trillion in productivity, potential investments as well as loss of lives and properties.
In terms daily loss, this amounts to N10.4 billion, which is the amount the south-east geopolitical would have lost on a daily basis as a result of the sit at home restriction every Monday.
Brigadier General Usman Lawal says the crackdown is to ensure the activities of the perpetrators of the stated acts are brought under control, so Imo residents can go about their legitimate business peacefully.
The Nigerian Army 34 Artillery Brigade, in collaboration with other security agencies in the state, has been at the forefront of combating insecurity in the state.
After 16 months in charge, Brigadier General Sani Suleiman passed the baton to Brigadier General Lawal as the new Brigade Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade in the state.
The former brigade commander said the Nigerian Army had done much in the last few months to curtail the activities of the bandits, adding that they were not relenting in the fight.
Brigadier General Usman Lawal vowed to go after the criminals, in line with the directives of the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army.
Lawal met with men and officers of the command and was taken around on a familiarisation tour.
He assured that he was ready to tackle the security challenges in the state so the people could enjoy a peaceful atmosphere and go about their lawful activities without any fear or intimidation.
