FG bans registration, deportation of citizens within Nigeria

By JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja

•Insists Chibok girls’ whereabouts known

President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered the immediate stoppage of deportation and registration of Nigerians within the 36 states of the federation. Towards this end, he called for a meeting the National Council of State next week to discuss the seriousness and the implication of registration and deportation of Nigerians from one state to the other.
While noting that the action was “more potent than Boko Haram,” to disintegrate Nigeria, the President warned that any security operatives caught assisting in deportation and registration of Nigerians would be heavily sanctioned.
He also warned youth groups who are as a result of this act planning  in some states to ferment trouble to desist or face severe sanctions.
The decision was taken at yesterday at the National Security Council meeting, presided over by Jonathan which had in attendance all the service chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Director General, State Security Service (SSS), DG, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs and Police Affairs.
Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, the IGP, Muhammed Abubakar and the DG SSS, Ita Ekpeyong, said the meeting considered the deportation of Nigerians from any part of the country as a dangerous trend that must be stopped forthwith.
‎Abubakar said, “primarily, the council discussed very important issues – Boko Haram, that is to say the issue of terrorism in Nigeria, second most important issue the Chibok girls and lastly the issue of Nigerians being discriminated against in some parts of the country.”
Ekpeyong, said Council regarded  the issue of deportation, registration of Nigerians in states of the federation as even more potent than Boko Haram: “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 attached to this, he asked the IG 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, SSS are found to be involved they will be severely dealt with.
“Also youth groups trying to forment trouble because of this issue are 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.
Speaking on the fight on terrorism, Ekpeyong said: “The fight against Boko Haram is ongoing. We kept saying that the fight against Boko Haram is like the footballer. You know when the Germans played Argentina, it was only that one goal they scored that everyone is remembering, 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.
“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.”


Source: Sun