Air of uneasiness filled
the state following reports that 47 Boko Haram suspects have been relocated to
Ekwulobia Prisons in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra 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.
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, Vanguard 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.
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