By Enyim Enyim & Chimaobi Nwaiwu

Traders and residents of Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, Tuesday, closed shops and businesses in protest against alleged transfer of Boko Haram detainees to the Prisons in the town on Sunday night.

Traders in Onitsha had last weekend protested for the same reason, despite assurances by the prisons authorities that there was no such plan.

The protesters displayed placards with inscriptions as “Ekwulobia town doesn’t need Boko Haram prisoners” “Please save our state from Boko Haram insurgents” “Why Ekwulobia of all the towns, Why Anambra State of all the states”.

FILE PROTEST: Youths protesting alleged planned relocationn of Boko Haram prisoners to Anambra State in Onitsha.

The protesting traders and residents in Ekwulobia and old Aguata Local Government and Orumba North and South were joined in the protest by members of South East Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, SEMATAS.

Addressing the protesters, President-General of SEMATAS, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, and Coordinator South East Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, Chief Gozie Akudolu, said South East zone needed no more trouble.

Ezenwankwo said: ‘’We have confirmed that the story of bringing Boko Haram detainees after our protest and closing of markets in Onitsha last Saturday is true, the detainees were said to have been sent on last Sunday night, the prison officials in Ekwulobia confirmed the story for us and we are not happy.

“They are 49 detainees, they were brought on Sunda, June 28 night under tight security, our worry is that we will be having their friends visiting them in the prisons and they will be coming with all types of dangerous plans, before you know it we will be talking of jail breaks and if iit happens we are in trouble.