Sunday, 5 July 2015

Senate May Probe Relocation Of B. Haram Prisoners To Anambra

                                                              

BARELY 48 hours after Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State denied involvement in the controversial transfer of an unspecified number of Boko Haram prisoners to the state, a South East Senator, Chief Mao Ohuabunwa, has said that the matter would be formally raised at the Senate for investigation when it resumes from its recess.

Briefing reporters in Abuja yesterday Ohuabunwa, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Abia North ‎Senatorial District, ‎said that the South East ‎caucus in the upper legislative chamber would meet to first consider the matter before bringing it to the floor of the Senate.

The former Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives said he will, as a matter of urgent public importance, raise the issue of the sudden transfer of such high-profile terrorists to a local prison in Anambra State when the lawmakers resume sitting.

The Nigeria Prison Service had reportedly transferred Boko Haram prisoners to Ekwulobia prison in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Governor Obiano had claimed that the transfer of the Boko Haram prisoners was perfected in 2012 under Governor Peter Obi, and that the transfer would have been carried out immediately but for the general election in 2015.

Ohuabunwa, however, insisted there is no justifiable reason for the transfer of Boko Haram prisoners from far away North where they were arrested to a local prison, saying the presence of the inmates would create tension and fear of the unknown in the area. 

He stressed that the transfer of the inmates, if true, should be reversed without further delay. According to him, such prisoners should be confined to the states where they committed crimes or other states in the North that have maximum prisons. 

The Senator argued that it is a security risk to send such prisoners to a local facility in a place with porous security. He said no amount of explanation could justify the transfer, and vowed to mobilise other senators to push for an immediate reversal of the decision.

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