Boko haram Prisoners arrive Anambra

Awka—THERE was tension in Anambra State yesterday, following reports that 47 Boko Haram suspects have been relocated to Ekwulobia Prisons in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.
When the rumour of the alleged relocation broke out weekend, hundreds of youths stormed the streets and all markets in the state were shut in protest.
A visit to Ekwulobia Prisons, however, did not
show any sign that new inmates were brought
there and the prisons officials said they had
not received any signal to that effect.
However, we gathered last night that
the 47 Boko Haram prisoners were brought to
Ekwulobia prisons in the dead of the night of
Sunday, June 28, amid tight security.
Yesterday, agitated people in various parts of
the state were seen making telephone calls and
Ekwulobia, the fourth largest city in the state,
has been getting renewed attention, with
those whose relations are serving sentences in
the medium security prison expressing worry
over the development, which they said would
put their relations there at great risk, in view
of the antecedents of Boko Haram suspects.
The state Commissioner for Information,
Culture and Tourism, Dr. Uju Nwogu, could not
confirm the development, even as she said
Governor Willie Obiano had gone to Abuja to
meet President Muhammadu Buhari over the
matter.
Following the governor’s absence, the weekly
state executive council meeting, which holds
every Monday, could not hold yesterday.
Obiano’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr.
James Eze, had in a statement, exonerated the
governor from the relocation arrangement.
Eze said further that Governor Obiano’s
efforts to establish understanding and achieve
speedy and peaceful resolution of the matter
went to the highest authorities, adding that he
was given assurances that the matter would be
looked into, with a view to resolving it.
There were also feelers that traders in the
commercial town of Onitsha have vowed to
continue their protest, following alleged
relocation of the prisoners from the Northern
part of the country to Ekwulobia Prisons.