The Abia State Government has said that its attention has been drawn to the lingering sit-at-home order, which may jeopardise the possibility of writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations for Abia students.

The State Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu, in a statement released on Monday, said the sit-at-home order was reportedly endorsed and illegally enforced by a “group of hoodlums hiding under the identity of agitators in the South-East region to cause chaos in the state”

He described the act as unacceptable, stating that the State Government would not allow any individual or group to instil fear in its people, to the extent of negatively impacting the education of innocent school children who are billed to write WASSCE on Monday, September 13, and Tuesday, September 14.

The State Government directed all security agencies in the state to be fully deployed at all flashpoints on Monday as well as maintain regular patrols to ensure the safety and protection of law-abiding citizens and visitors from any form of molestation.

The statement reads in part, “While we do not begrudge any citizen the right to sit at home or go about their normal duties, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others, we cannot afford to sit idly and watch the future of our children jeopardised and the economic well-being of our people further wrecked over a matter we believe can be resolved judicially or through political negotiations.

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“We, therefore, advise parents to ensure that their children go to the examination centres for their papers while teachers and examination supervisors are to ensure the protection of the children before, during and after the examinations.

“Other citizens are also encouraged to go about their normal duties without fear of molestation and leaders of all markets and transport unions in the state are advised to ensure that markets are open and transport vehicles deployed by their members for regular activities on Monday and beyond unless otherwise advised by Government.”

The government warned that if any market is closed or any transport union fails to operate, it would be closed and disbanded, respectively, till further notice.