Ohanaeze, Igbo Mandate Congress demand relocation of Boko Haram prisoners from Ekwuluobia Prisons

  July 5, 2015

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has condemned the relocation of Boko Haram prisoners recently transferred to Ekwuluobia prisons by the Buhari Government. Speaking after a joint interaction with prison officials and agents of Ekwuluobia Community on Friday at Awka, the Assistant National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Barrister Emejulu Okpalaukwu described the development as unacceptable.

According to him “Ekwuluobia Prisons is not the safest place to place Boko Haram criminals. They can be transferred to areas where they caused atrocities and not here”. He described the terrorists as being of “murderous minds and not good to infect the people of the South East with murderous mindset” Okpalaukwu further said that “ The entire Igbo and Ohanaeze leadership is watching the developments and will soon outline actions to reverse the trends if the developments is not reversed”.

The leadership of Igbo Mandate Congress (IMC) has also condemned the relocation of some murderers to Anambra State. Speaking with some government officials and traders in Awka on Friday after a joint fact finding chat with prison officials and Ekwuluobia Community leaders, the Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress, Rev Obinna Akukwe said that “obviously, this intended transfer of 300 prisoners to Anambra of which 47 was affected in the night of yesterday by military authorities is not part of the ‘Change’ we championed . I believe there is a mix up somewhere and the leaders of APC we have contacted have denied ever discussing such a matter. I have come here and seen with my eyes that indeed some terrorists are in Ekwuluobia and no Igbo man is happy about that.”

The cleric added that “Buhari did not promise to send terrorists to Igbo land and therefore those who sent in these blood letters to the South East through the back door should please return them back. I have been reliably informed by aides of Willie Obiano that the Government of Anambra State is already talking with them at Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Presidency over the matter, Igbo Mandate Congress will also use its channels to prevail on those that did this to reverse their decisions”.

Rev Akukwe asked the concerned traders, community leaders and youth leaders to remain calm as efforts are ongoing to reverse the ugly trend.