A 6 pm to 6 am curfew was imposed on Orlu, Orsu, Oru East, Oru West, Ideato North, Ideao South, Njaba, Isu, Nwangele, and Nkwerre.

Authorities have failed to provide a clear picture on what the situation in the zone is, but disturbing video clips have been posted online capturing some of the unrest.

One of such clips posted on Twitter showed soldiers stationed in the middle of a street firing gunshots into the distance.

The military men were seen in the clip slowly advancing on foot and military trucks to an area not captured in the clip.

“Why are they shooting?” a man believed to have been shooting the clip asked.

In a statement released after an emergency security meeting of the state executive council on Monday, Governor Uzodinma said a group of militants were responsible for killing and maiming innocent citizens in the zone.

He said, “I am totally appalled by this sad report which appears to paint a picture of a near breakdown of law and order in the Orlu area.

“The government condemns in its entirety this act of extreme hooliganism and brigandage.

“This is completely unacceptable to this administration. Those behind this callous barbarism will surely regret their actions,” he said.

The governor said security operatives have been deployed on a 24-hour patrol of the zone to fish out the troublemakers and bring them to justice.

The governor asked law-abiding citizens to comply with the curfew, as violators will be treated as suspects.

Media reports have indicated that the unrest was as a result of a clash between security forces and members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a security outfit created by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

IPOB was declared a terrorist organization in 2017 following years of agitation to secede the southeast region from Nigeria to create a Biafra nation.