The Federal government, Monday, condemned the registration
of Nigerians resident in states other than their states of origin. It also
flayed the deportation of Nigerians to their states of origin by some state
governments, warning that the move is capable of disintegrating the country.
Addressing state House Correspondents after the meeting of
the National Security Council Monday, the Director General of the Department of
States Services, Mr Ita Ekpenyong said the council directed that the practices
must be stopped forthwith as every Nigerian is free to live in any part of the
Country without molestation.
The decision by the Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha to
register northerners in Imo state has sparked widespread condemnation in the
country as the move is seen as ethnic and religious profiling.
Several states in the southern part of the country have also
allegedly repatriated northerners living in their states to the northern part
of the country.
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| Ita Ekpenyong |
Mr. Ekpenyong who was in company of the Inspector General of
Police Mohammed Abubakar also revealed that a meeting of the National Council
of state would be convened next week to address these issues.
He said the president has directed that no security
Personnel should be involved in the registration or relocation of persons by
state governments or any group in a state.
He said: “Council discussed in detail the issue of
registration of Nigerians in any part of the country, being subjected to
registration, being subjected to deportation, being taken away from one part of
the country to the other.
“Council discussed the reaction by some groups in Kano State
and other parts of the country.
“Council observed that this threat was more potent than Boko
Haram and could disintegrate the country. And we take this very seriously, for
people to deport people, for people to take people from one place to the other, for registration of indigenes
no matter where they are. No matter where they are they are free to settle
anywhere they like.
“Council resolved that the issue of registration of
Nigerians anywhere in the country and deportation should stop forthwith. To
re-emphasis the importance, the President has attached to this that is why he
asked the IGP and I to address the press, this must stop forthwith.
“Security operatives should not be involved in anybody trying to register people and
anybody trying to deport people security operatives must henceforth not be
involved if Police, DSS is found to be involved it will be severely dealt it.
“Also Youth groups trying to forment trouble because of this
issue are hereby warned to desist from it because government is taking serious
notice of it. Government is doing everything possible to steam 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 this issues” he said.
On the abduction of the Chibok girls, security chief
insisted that security agencies know where the girls are but are only being
careful in effecting their release.
“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 you can go to bed with that” he said.
The Director General of DSS noted that a lot is being done
in the fight against terrorism, noting that many attacks have been foiled due
to the vigilance of security agencies.
“The fight against Boko Haram is ongoing. We keep saying
that the fight against Boko Haram is like football. You know when the Germans
played Argentina, it was only that one goal they scored that everyone is
remembers, the other goals that were stopped nobody will remember.
“There are several things government is doing, there are
several attacks government has stopped but nobody will remember those ones
because we don’t tell you but several things are going on” he said.
The National Security council meeting is attended by the
Chief of Defense Staff and all the service Chiefs, the Inspector General of
Police, the Directors General of the Department of State Services and the
National Intelligence Agency.
Others in attendance were the Ministers of Interior, Foreign
Affairs, Police Affairs, the National Security Adviser
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