A Non-Governmental Organization, Concerned Arewa Citizens, yesterday submitted a bill to the Kaduna State House of Assembly for the registration and issuance of work permit to all Southerners living in the state.
A similar bill was last week sent to the Kano State House of Assembly. Presenting the bill to Speaker of the House, Alhaji Shehu Tahir, President-General of the group, Audu Bulama Bukarti, said the “Registration of Southerners and Allied Matters Bill”, seeks to protect the state from the evils of drugs and human trafficking, kidnappings, baby factories, armed robbery, importation of firearms, pipeline vandalism and other terrorist activities, which he said have become prevalent in Southern Nigeria.
“Our state has suffered and is still suffering from most of the aforementioned criminal activities, whose proliferation is partly due to the haphazard entry and exit accorded southerners who are the masters of these evils. Passing this bill, subject to any modification the Assembly might make, is not only appropriate but necessary because if there are no checks and balances, the evil people may infiltrate and corrupt the people of Kaduna State,” he said.Responding, Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Alhaji Shehu Tahir, assured the group that the House will study the bill and do justice to it.
“A fundamental issue of security has been raised which is of concern to everybody, so we shall look at the viability of the bill,” he said.
Source: Daily Trust