…Protest spreads to Enugu
…as 177 elders urge relocation from Ekwulobia
By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka; Austin Ogwuda, Enugu; Francis Igata & Chimaobi Nwaiwu
Awka—FOR the second time in 13 days, all the major markets in Anambra State were, yesterday, shut by the leadership of the traders in protest against the relocation of 47 Boko Haram detainees to Ekwulobia Prison in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.
Also yesterday, all markets in Enugu including the multi-billion naira Ogbete main market, Kenyatta market and Gariki market were shut down in compliance with directive from the South East Amalgamated Traders Association.
The Enugu traders, having locked up their shops were, however, unable to march to the streets as demonstrated by some of their members within the South East region due to the water-tight security mounted in and around the markets and strategic places in the city.
Yesterday’s closure of the markets came on the heels of a high powered security meeting in Awka between Governor Wilie Obiano and an official from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, on the possible withdrawal of the Boko Haram detainees from Anambra.
Also yesterday, the presidents’ general of the 177 communities in the state issued a statement describing as shocking and embarrassing the news that the Nigeria Prisons Service had transferred some detainees of the dreaded suspected terrorists to Ekwulobia.
Many traders from outside Anambra State, who arrived Onitsha early to make their purchases, were taken aback when the traders’ security operatives informed them that all the markets in the South East geo-political zone were closed down to drive home their opposition to the relocation of the Boko Haram suspects to Anambra State.
Some of the Onitsha traders, who were unaware of the closure, came early to open their shops, but were turned back by the market security personnel.
The closure, however, did not affect those trading on the streets as they were doing their businesses unmolested.
In Awka however, some traders initially tried to challenge security operators for forcing them to close the markets, but order was restored after some heated arguments and they allowed them to display their wares.
The president of Anambra State Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, Okwudili Ezenwankwo later led other officials to Ekwulobia where they were expected to march through the streets.
Meanwhile, Governor Obiano hinted after the meeting with a representative of the National Security Adviser that the Boko Haram detainees would soon be withdrawn from Anambra State.
The meeting, which was also attended by officials of the Nigeria Prison Service, security personnel, as well as other stakeholders, including market leaders, religious leaders, community leaders, youth and women leaders, was held behind closed door.
Obiano explained after the meeting that the stakeholders frowned at the deployment of the detainees, arguing that the development had injected fear in the minds of the people of the state.
According to the governor, having been intimated with the facts on ground, the visitor promised to inform the appropriate authorities of his findings, adding that there was therefore hope that the detainees would be taken out of Anambra State soon.
He assured the people of the state of his administration’s commitment to securing their lives and property and urged them to remain calm as the matter was being resolved.
Also rising from their meeting in Awka, the presidents’ general of the various communities in the state said: “We believe with every sense of responsibility that transferring these violent religious bigots and fundamentalists to Ekwulobia, was ill-conceived, ill-considered, grossly insensitive, condemnable and therefore totally unacceptable.
“In the recent past, Igbo people living in Northern Nigeria were deliberately and viciously attacked, and those who were lucky to be alive, were financially and mentally traumatized and wrecked, having been displaced from their area of domicile and means of livelihood.
“The Ekwulobia prison is a minimum security prison located in the middle of a densely populated community, surrounded by tertiary institutions, and therefore grossly inadequate for such inmates of high security risks.
“There is no military presence in case of the recurrent emergence of prison-breaks associated with the Boko Haram insurgents. This is in flagrant disregard of prison conventions and best practices worldwide.
“The courts in Anambra State have no jurisdiction to try them for offences committed outside the state since these Boko Haram detainees have not been tried and convicted and should therefore, be classified as awaiting trial men.
“The lives of the Boko Haram detainees could also be at grave risk and endangered because of the likelihood of reprisal or revenge attack by family members of the victims of Boko Haram insurgents in the Northern part of Nigeria,” they
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