The usual commercial activities were disrupted on Saturday in Anambra State following protests by traders across the state.
According to reports gathered by EAB, The traders, who closed their shops as early as 9am in major cities of Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi, Ekwulobia and Agulu, took to the streets protesting what they termed plan by the Federal Government to transfer Boko Haram detainees to prisons in the state.
Traders and other residents blocked the Enugu – Onitsha Expressway chanting songs suggesting they would be forced to revive the clamour for Biafran Republic if pushed to the wall.
The traders were carrying Placards bearing inscriptions like ‘Buhari should not destroy the peace in Anambra State,’ ‘Biafra kanyi choro’ (We want Biafra), ‘Buhari, Igbos cannot accept your prisoners, ‘We do not want Boko Haram in Anambra,’ ‘Federal Government, why extend Boko Haram to Anambra?’ and ‘Boko Haram prisoners are not allowed here.’
The Secretary-General, Anambra State Amalgamated Traders Association, Chief Chuma Elucharu, stated that traders in the state decided to shut markets to protest the rumoured relocation of Boko Haram detainees to the state. Eluchraru said the protests would be continuous until the Federal Government assured that there was no such plan.
At Onitsha, the protesters threatened to be violent should the rumour proved to be true. There was tension as police used tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, the President-General of AMATAAS, urged them to be calm, saying further consultation would be made by the association to get clear picture of the situation.
Also, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Uche Eze, said there was no need to panic, that the police were handling the situation.
Eze enjoined the people of the state to go about their businesses without fear of molestation.
A senior officer in the Nigerian Prisons Service in the state who spoke on the condition of anonymity to our correspondent, however, said they got a signal recently to prepare to receive some detainees of the violent sect.
But the Nigeria Prisons Service has said there is no plan to transfer Boko Haram suspects in custody to prisons in Anambra State as being speculated.
EAB: If the Nigeria prisons Service can ensure that the the detainees of the violect sect planned to be moved to the Anambra prisons as rumoured will be guarded with super maximum security (which is arguable ) then the people of Anambra need not to protest. I am sure the prisons in the north are filled up to the brim already. Drop your comments on what you think should be done.
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