Concerned citizen seeks relocation of Boko Haram prisoners from Anambra community

Chief Marcel Ezenwonye, a citizen of Ekwulobia in Anambra, has appealed to the Federal Government to move the 47 Boko Haram prisoners recently transferred to Ekwulobia Prisons from the community.

Ezenwonye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday that the appeal became necessary because the prisoners constituted "high security risk" for the community.

He explained that the presence of the prisoners in the community could attract other terrorists to the area, a situation, which he said, could jeopardise the safety of the people.

"We do not want Boko Haram there (Ekwulobia) because there is imminent danger; their mates outside would want to come and retaliate or would want to come and break the jail and get them out.

"And that is how there will be war in a society that is relatively peaceful, no armed robbery; with the help of the present governor, even the problem of kidnapping has been completely wiped out.

"So, this is the only time the Ibos, especially the Ibos from that town are enjoying relative peace. Those of us from the Diaspora, who return to begin to do something in that town are frightened back now with this current thing (relocation of Boko Haram prisoners).

Ezenwonye said the presence of the prisoners in the community had already created fear among the people to the extent that they no more engaged in social and economic activities.

According to him, this has made some of the residents of the town to flee.

"I can tell you that in the last three weeks now, there has been economic shut down in the place; no market place; nobody is going to the market. The women, who are selling pure water, groundnut, akara balls - are not going to market.

"There are afraid of everybody. There is presence of army molesting people in the area. Suddenly in a village where people have lived their relaxed lives with little or no serious economic activities going on, except the ones we are trying to introduce and build, they are now being frightened into their homes."

He, however, said that the community would not resort to violence, but would continue to appeal to the government to move the prisoners to another location