FG STOPS DEPORTATION OF NON-
INDIGENES
THE Federal Government has ordered a stop
to any attempt by states to deport, register
and provide identity cards to non-indigenes
resident in the states, as a way to check the
influx of suspected Boko Haram members.
The decision was reached during a meeting
of the national security council, presided
over by President Goodluck Jonathan, at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
The meeting was attended by all service
chiefs, the Inspector General of Police (IGP),
Mohammed Abubakar; Ministers of Police
Affairs and his Interior counterpart, Abdul
Jelil Adesiyan and Abba Moro respectively;
Director-General, Department of State
Security (DSS), Ita Ekpenyong and the
National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel
Sambo Dasuki (retd).
According to the IGP, who briefed State
House correspondents, alongside the
Director-General of DSS, the meeting was
summoned to discuss the ongoing
insurgency in the country, the efforts to
rescue abducted Chibok girls and the
discrimination of some Nigerians in parts of
the country.
“Primarily, the council discussed very
important issues – terrorism in Nigeria (the
Boko Haram), the Chibok girls and lastly,
the issue of Nigerians being discriminated
against in other parts of the country,”
Abubakar said.
Giving details of the outcome of the meeting,
Ekpenyong said the council viewed the
deportation of Nigerians from some states
as more dangerous than the Boko Haram
menace, in terms of its capacity to
dismember the country and, therefore,
directed that the exercise must stop
immediately.
He revealed that the council also discussed
the ultimatum issued by a group in Kano to
non-indigenes to leave the state and warned
the group and similar ones in the country to
desist from such.
Ekpenyong reiterated that security agencies
were aware of the location of the 219 Chibok
girls being held by the Boko Haram, but
were refraining from endangering their lives,
as he noted that the girls would be freed at
the appropriate time.
“The IGP has told you what was discussed at
the meeting – fight against the Boko
Haram, efforts made by government to
rescue the Chibok girls and the issue of
deportation, registration of Nigerians in
states of the federation.
“The council resolved that the issue of
registration of Nigerians anywhere in the
country and deportation should stop
forthwith.
“Government is doing everything possible to
stem this from getting out of control. As a
matter of fact to show the urgency, the
Council of State meeting will be held
anytime next week to discuss these issues,”
he said.
On terrorism, the SSS boss stressed that the
efforts of government at tackling the menace
were yielding results.
According to him, “the fight against Boko
Haram is ongoing, as there are many things
government is doing. There are several
attacks government had stopped, but
nobody will remember those ones.
“On the issue of Chibok girls, government is
making efforts. We know where they are, but
we don’t want to endanger their lives. That
is the truth.
“We want to take it gradually and release
them at the appropriate time. We know
where they are and you can go to bed with
that.”
It will be recalled that Lagos State
government recently came under criticism for
deportation of some non-indigenes, while
Imo State government was also accused of
registering northerners living in the state.
The decision to register northerners in Imo
State sparked widespread condemnation in
the country, with the move being interpreted
in some quarters as ethnic and religious.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), it is
also recalled, had cautioned the Igbo in the
South East against maltreating northerners,
warning that such could endanger the multi-
billion Naira investment of the Igbo in the
North.
Source: Tribune