The Igbo socio-political group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has threatened to incite the Igbos to a massive rally against the Federal Government, if the government refused to rescind its decision on the relocation of the Boko Haram insurgents suspects to Ekwulobia prisons in Anambra state.
According to Daily Sun, the state’s president of the organisation, Elder Chris Eluemuno, issued the threat at his country home in Nkwele Ezunaka, Oyi local government area during a chat with newsmen. He showed his regret that the first step President Muhammadu Buhari took on the Ndigbo, was to send insurgents to his state.
He condemned the move, saying Ohaneze Ndigbo, was not happy about the development and expressed his fears that such move may import terrorists into the South-East states. He urged the government to immediately evacuate the terrorists out of Anambra and build camps in the North purposely for their rehabilitation.
He said: “What reason will Buhari give to Ndigbo for an action like this? We are very sad about it and we condemn it in all ramifications. We don’t have maximum-security prisons in the whole of South-East and we don’t know what informed this action. The government should intensify efforts in combating terrorism and not distributing or spreading terrorism in the country. The movement of suspected terrorists should be restricted in the country so that they won’t have any chance to spread.”
Also reacting, a chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance and a former Senator, Chief Alphonsus Igbeke, condemned the move and said the government’s silence on the matter was unacceptable.
He said the government’s action could increase insurgency across the country rather than reducing it. He said the terrorists will now have access to the South-East geo-political zone. He observed that putting the suspected terrorists with other criminals facing other charges in the same detention facility, could make the latter to be indoctrinated by the former, thereby creating more breeding grounds for terrorists.
He urged the federal government to rethink its decision in order to prevent the looming crisis. The ex-lawmaker advised the people of the South-Eastern states not to stop their agitation until the government retraces its steps.
