By Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia, Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba and Chris Njoku, Owerri

Abia State government has announced plans to relax the ongoing dusk to dawn curfew in all the parts of the state.

Our correspondent gathered that the government took the decision after due review and consideration of the current security situation in the state.

The Governor Okezie Ikpeazu after reviewing the security situation directed that the dusk to dawn curfew be relaxed to now take effect from 6pm to 6am from Sunday, 25th October, 2020.

All markets by the latest development are therefore to be reopened during the day while market committees and security teams mobilize adequate security to watch over the markets at night and during the day.

The Abia State Government also disclosed that it has received reports that strange individuals are moving into the state en masse with possible nefarious intentions and wish to direct hotel proprietors and managers to properly scrutinise new guests and report suspicious persons to security agents for appropriate review.

“We also wish to inform the general public that we have received reports that some yet to be identified enemies of Ndigbo are planning to unleash mayhem and burn down some major markets in the state in order to cause sorrow and tears to the hardworking people of the state and possibly provoke mass uprising.”

A statement by the Information Commissioner, John Okiyi-Kalu said “We further appeal to those behind the dastardly plot aimed at frustrating the livelihood of Ndigbo who are still struggling to recover from the devastating effects of CovidI-19 pandemic to have a rethink.

Read Also: #EndSARS, anarchy and a wave of curfews

“While security agencies have also been mobilised to protect the markets and key public and private infrastructure in the state, we call on our people to allow good sense prevail and not engage in any activity that will further harm our lives and wellbeing.”

In a related development, Delta Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has reviewed the curfew imposed on the state.

Okowa said the curfew will now only be observed between the hours of 6pm to 8am daily.

Earlier, Okowa had imposed a 48 hour curfew across the State that was due to lapse today at 6.00 p.m.

With this development, residents can now resume and go about their lawful duties beginning from yesterday from 8am to 6pm.

Okowa made this known yesterday while inspecting the Event Centre, in Asaba, the state capital, where palliatives donated by Coalition Against COVID (CA-COVID) to the state government were earlier kept for distribution.

CA-COVID-19 palliatives is a private sector initiative supporting the fight against the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Okowa said the state had already distributed the palliatives to indigent Deltans long before the #EndSARS protest across the state.

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma yesterday also relaxed the 24 hours curfew imposed on the state following the wanton destruction unleashed in some parts of the state during #EndSARS protest across the country.

The governor who announced this during a state broadcast on Saturday, said as the situation in the state and the country gradually returns to normal, “it is necessary to relax the curfew announced on Wednesday.”

Consequently, he said the curfew will now start from 6pm to 6am everyday for now, adding that those on approved essential services are however exempted from the curfew.

He commended the youths across the country in general and in Imo State in particular for heeding to President Muhammadu Buhari and his calls to end the protests.

Governor Uzodimma lauded the youths from Imo State in particular and youths from across the country in general for comporting themselves responsibly during the #EndSARS protests by pulling out after making their grievances known, noting that the unfortunate destruction of government facilities and private property in Imo in the guise of protests afterwards was the handiwork of mercenaries hired to wreak havoc in the state.

The governor also announced the immediate release of N2 billion as take-off fund for the training of the first batch of the beneficiaries of a comprehensive youth empowerment scheme in the state.

The money will be taken out of the N6 billion the government has earmarked for an accelerated youth empowerment programme in Imo.