Anambra State 'rewarded' with Boko Haram prisoners

It started off as a rumour. Within days, the rumour has gained legitimacy and momentum leading to widespread demonstrations by civil society groups in the South-east. The chat that sparked massive public protests was that Boko Haram prisoners were transferred from their holding place in the North to a low security prison in Ekwulobia, a local community in Anambra State.

It did not take long for the rumour to be confirmed. In the stillness of the night on Sunday, 28 June 2015, 47 Boko Haram prisoners were ferried secretly from their prison in the North to the Ekwulobia prison. Unfortunately, what was meant to be executed in secret had been blown open in the public sphere. This is not surprising. In the age of new media, it is hard to conceal spine-chilling decisions made by the Federal Government, in particular decisions that are intended to imperil ordinary people's safety, wellbeing, interests, and lives.

In the end, no one was fooled. Unusual presence of soldiers in the Ekwulobia prison premises, as well as the odd presence of armoured tanks positioned in a quiet community that has not seen violence or warfare for many decades confirmed to everyone that Boko Haram terrorists have indeed been transferred to the low security prison in Ekwulobia.

It is wrong to use armed soldiers and armoured tanks to intimidate and restrict the movement of local people in Ekwulobia. Soldiers are not always the solution to every problem, you know. There are instances in which diplomacy has proved to be a more productive way of resolving a sticky problem. You cannot silence people's right to express their opposition to an unfair decision that threatens their lives.

Renowned British playwright William Shakespeare said while it is excellent for anyone to have a giant's strength, it would be tyrannous to use that power like a tyrant to bully and oppress other people. This is not the image that President Muhammadu Buhari wants to cultivate in the first few months of his government. He has nothing to lose but the goodwill and support of the local communities to gain if he could rescind the transfer of Boko Haram prisoners to Ekwulobia.

What point or message does the Federal Government want to convey by sending dangerous prisoners to the low security prison in Ekwulobia when there are maximum security prisons that are more suitable to hold the prisoners? A prison facility holding hardened criminals such as Boko Haram terrorists should not be located in a local community with a huge civilian population.

The point has been made about the detention of Al Qaeda prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay high security prison that is far from civilian population. Why can't the Federal Government see reason in doing a similar thing with Boko Haram terrorists who are in prison in communities with dense population such as Ekwulobia? We expect common sense to prevail. We also expect the Federal Government to apply discretion to resolve the decision to relocate Boko Haram prisoners to Ekwulobia.

Transferring Boko Haram prisoners to Ekwulobia prison is not right. The government must show it has no malicious intentions against the southeast by annulling the relocation of the prisoners. What is wrong is wrong no matter how the government tries to dress it, no matter how many times the government attempts to turn reason upside down.

The relocation of Boko Haram terrorists to Ekwulobia prison has exposed the contradictions in Buhari's acceptance speech soon after his election. In that speech which he delivered on April 1, 2015, Buhari made the right noises, said the right things that suited the mood of the time, and presented himself as an advocate of peace, equity, and good governance. Now, you might wonder why a promoter of peace would sanction the relocation of dangerous Boko Haram prisoners from the northern states to a peaceful community in the South-east.

In his acceptance speech, Buhari said he would govern for all Nigerians, not only for people in the states that voted for the APC or people in his region of origin but also for every citizen of Nigeria, including people who voted against his party. He said: "I shall work for those who voted for me as well as those who voted against me and even for those who did not vote at all." He also said: "We will govern for you and in your interests." That was Buhari two months ago. You can now see how the man has transformed himself in just two months from a "man of the people" into a man whose popularity is waning rapidly.

When you deconstruct Buhari's speech, you will see that nothing so far supports his propaganda that he will govern for us all and in our national interests.

Surely, the transfer of Boko Haram terrorists to Ekwulobia undermines rather than upholds Buhari's promise that he would govern in the interest of everyone. It does not make sense to engage in excessive use of executive presidential power to suppress the collective interests of people in a local community.

There are times when you have to wonder how and why the Federal Government makes decisions that continue to baffle everyone. There is no way to justify the decision to transfer dangerous prisoners to Ekwulobia. It beats common sense. It lacks sound logic. It is indefensible. It is inexcusable. And it is malicious in intent and execution. Up until the criminals were moved to Ekwulobia, no one ever dreamt that such an action would ever be contemplated by the Federal Government, not to mention putting the thought into action.

The people of Ekwulobia, the people of Anambra State, and the people in all the communities that have common boundaries with Ekwulobia must be wondering why Buhari would allow such a sensitive decision to be implemented so soon after the inauguration of his government. It is unimaginable that a president would endorse a decision that would allow peaceful communities to be exposed to terror, a decision that has the potential to lead to the shedding of blood of innocent citizens. A president is often perceived as a judicious person. The transfer of Boko Haram prisoners to Ekwulobia will not make Buhari to be perceived as a thoughtful and considerate president.

A number of people have argued already that the ill-informed and bewildering decision to move the violent prisoners to Ekwulobia must be driven by a hideous desire to spread Boko Haram terror to the southeast. I am inclined to agree with this idea. People in Ekwulobia specifically and the southeast in general are justified to feel that there is a deliberate plan to disturb the peace in the region, and a craving by the government to impose on the southeast the terrifying experience that people in the north have had with Boko Haram violence.

And yet another view holds that the relocation of the terrorists to Ekwulobia, a low security prison for that matter, could have the unintended consequence of providing a soft ground for the terrorists to stage their escape from a prison that is managed by ill-equipped prison warders and supervisors. This seems to be a sound view also. The government cannot claim ignorance of the pointlessness of transferring dangerous criminals to a prison that is situated in a densely populated community, a prison that is without adequate security forces and equipment. It is imprudent to embed prisoners with terrorist track record into a local community with virtually no resources to defend itself if the terrorists should strike back from their prison.

Let us be clear here: The relocation of Boko Haram terrorists to Anambra State is nothing but mischief of the worst kind authorised by the Federal Government. While impoverished communities in the southeast expect the Federal Government to help them to improve their socioeconomic conditions, what the communities have been given in return is a sinister Greek gift of terrorists who have a record of sadistic violence. Anambra State and the southeast deserve better than this.

It will be hard for the people of Anambra State and the southeast to forget this dreadful experience with the Buhari government. It is an appalling experience. Rather than bequeath well equipped hospitals and medical personnel to the people of Ekwulobia, rather than empower the people with projects that will help to make a difference in their lives, rather than show the human face of the Federal Government, Buhari has imposed fear, terror, restlessness, nervousness, and suffering on the people in Ekwulobia and the southeast states.

For a government that was elected barely three months ago, this is a very bad start. The decision to insert Boko Haram criminals into a local prison that will allow them to interact with, and radicalise, other prisoners who are serving time for minor offences is mindless and iniquitous.

The question must be asked: are people in the South-east being punished because they did not vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the presidential election in March this year? If so, the decision is discriminatory. It is ethnic bigotry by another name.

I have heard people say that the decision to transfer the Boko Haram prisoners to Ekwulobia was made by former President Goodluck Jonathan. Even if that was the case, the argument lacks merit. Just as Buhari has been overturning some of the decisions and appointments made by Jonathan, Buhari can also overrule the decision to relocate Boko Haram terrorists to the South east. In his capacity as president, Buhari must know what is good, what is bad, and what is unfair for ordinary people.

No one needs to impress it on Buhari that the decision to move Boko Haram prisoners from the North to the South-east was wrong, offensive, insensitive, dishonourable, inappropriate, demeaning, and shameful.That decision has the potential to create inter-ethnic tension and conflict between the North and the South-east.

Buhari must show he is a listening and understanding president by annulling the decision to house the Boko Haram terrorists in the minimum security prison in Ekwulobia.
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Relocation of Boko Haram inmates to South-East hatched during Jonathan's govt -Ekwueme

Dr Ekwueme

The President should reverse it to assuage the feelings of Ndigbo
Former Vice President of Nigeria in the Second Republic, Dr. Alex Ekwueme has said that the plan to bring Boko Haram detainees to Aguata Prisons in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, was hatched during the former President Jonathan's administration, but was resisted and protested against by the people which made the past administration to drop the idea.

Speaking with newsmen at Aguluzigbo, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State during the end of tenure Thanksgiving Ceremony of Chief Victor Umeh as APGA Chairman, Chief Ekwueme said, "I am aware that the plan of bringing Boko Haram detainees to Aguata prisons in Ekwulobia came up a while ago and there was reasonable protest to the then President Jonathan against it and he dropped the plan.

"I was out of the country when I heard that Boko Haram detainees were brought to Aguata Prisons in Ekwulobia, Anambra State. I started wondering how the idea of bringing them to the South East and my local government area came up again after the people thought the matter has been rested.

"I am sure the new President must have seen the records and proposal and decided to implement it, but since there was initial protest against the relocation of the detainees to the South East, I'm sure President Buhari will do something to assuage the feelings of the people of the South East," he said.

On the alleged delay in appointing ministers, Chief Ekwueme said he cannot start passing judgment now on the President because “every leader has his leadership style, everybody will not approach that exalted office with the same style. You have to watch and assess each person based on his style. The important thing is that we get the right result.
"Another important thing is that we have peace, prosperity and unity, and better quality of life as Nigeria attains her God given-position as a great nation and leader in the comity of nations.

“So, I wish the President well in running the affairs of Nigeria. I cannot start assessing his performance now, it is too early,” he said.