APC dismisses B/Haram suspects’ transfer rumour to Anambra

The All Progressives Congress (APC), South East zone, has dismissed rumour of planned transfer of Boko Haram suspects to Anambra State prisons.

The party, therefore, called on the people of South East to ignore such rumour and remain calm.

In a statement issued yesterday by Mr. Osita Okechukwu, spokesman, South East APC, he said the party “wishes to state categorically that the rumour making the rounds that Boko Haram detainees will be transferred to Anambra State or any other state for that matter is blatant falsehood.

“We have made contacts with the presidency and the Nigeria Prison Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and they assured us that there is no iota of truth in the mischievous rumour.

“In the clarification, the Nigeria Prison Service stated unequivocally that ‘most of the terror suspects are awaiting trial and so there is no way they can be moved to another state, because they must be tried in the state where they committed the crime.’

“They went further to state that their primary and traditional duty is to move detainees from prison to trial courts and wondered how easy it is to move the detainees more than 1000 kilometres from Onitsha to Maiduguri if they are relocated?

“Accordingly, the South East zone of the APC candidly appeals to our dear compatriots to disregard the blackmail and sinister rumour of rear-guard elements, who are yet to recover from their failure in the March 28th presidential election.

“We assure our people that the change President Muhammadu Buhari promised is real: the 2nd Niger Bridge, federal roads, Enugu coal and other physical and social infrastructure in the South East will be revamped”.

It would be recalled that there was massive protest in Anambra State on Saturday over the alleged plans to transfer some Boko Haram suspects to the state.

Traders in the state as early as 9a.m shut their shops in major cities of Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi, Ekwulobia and Agulu to kick against the purported plan.

At Tarzan Junction, Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, traders, and other residents blocked the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway chanting songs suggesting that they would be forced to revive the clamour for Biafra Republic if pushed to the wall.