Former member of the House of Representatives, Victor Afam Ogene, has called on the people of Anambra state, especially traders, to discountenance rumours of a transfer of Boko Haram convicts to the state.

He urged them to re-open their markets and businesses shut over the weekend following apprehensions arising from the falsehood.

Ogene, who represented Ogbaru Federal Constituency of the state and was Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, stated that though the prisons falls under the purview of the federal government, it was inconceivable that persons awaiting trial for insurgency will be transferred to states outside the jurisdiction where they are being tried.

“So far, I don’t think there are more than five convictions for Boko Haram offenses in Nigeria. Indeed, the bulk of those in custody for insurgency are Awaiting Trial Inmates, who are routinely brought to court near their places of remand – certainly not anywhere near the South east of Nigeria”, Hon. Ogene said in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday.

He disclosed that following the protests of last Saturday, he urgently made contacts with some officials in the Presidency and was assured that nothing of the sort was being contemplated.

Sensing political motives for the rumour, Hon. Ogene wondered why the state government remained mute for more than 24 hours, while the economy of the entire state, and life in it’s commercial cities, were brought to a standstill.

“Could there be a correlation between Governor Willie Obiano’s recent boast that he would not allow the All Pregressives Congress (APC) gain a foothold in Anambra state, and the recent protests aimed at maligning the APC-led federal government” , Hon. Ogene asked.

Contending that electioneering was over, he urged the governor not to covertly or overtly attempt to pitch the people of Anambra state and the South east geo-political zone against the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari.