Bayelsa State Government says it may, henceforth, sanction any traditional ruler who fails to open a register in his domain for the profiling of visitors and non-indigenes engaged in businesses and other socio-economic activities in his area.
The State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, stated this during the second round of meetings with traditional rulers from Ekeremor Local Government Area as part of the state government’s engagement with stakeholders in each of the eight local government areas of the state.
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However, Ewhrudjakpo did not specify if the profiling and registration of non-indigenes was applicable to other Nigerians who are not from the state or foreigners.
Though the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guaranteed every Nigerian right to live and do business in any part of the country, the Bayelsa State government’s action, if applicable to Nigerians from other states, would be an aberration to the nation’s law.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media to the State’s Deputy Governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, in a statement on Saturday, explained that the state government had earlier directed the traditional rulers to carry out the profiling in its previous meetings with them in which security topped the agenda.
Making reference to a recent policy announcement by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, he maintained that the issue of profiling had become compulsory in view of the current security situation in the country.
The deputy governor described the situation where most communities in Bayelsa do not know the number and kinds of people carrying out all sorts of activities in their forests, farmlands and rivers, as “no longer acceptable to government.”
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who lamented that Bayelsans had left their traditional fishing and farming occupations to strangers, reiterated his call on the royal fathers to expedite action on the opening of registers and close monitoring of visitors in their various communities.
He also expressed concern about recent violent activities in some communities in Ekeremor Local Government Area due to unnecessary chieftaincy tussles and dispute over the chairmanship of cluster boards and community development committees (CDC).
He urged traditional rulers to reside in their communities as the custodians of peace and play a neutral role in CDC and other community elections in order to earn and sustain the respect of their subjects.
He said: “In our previous meeting, we took time to explain the policy thrust of government on security. We told you that communities will now do what we call profiling of visitors.
“We will be happy if you inform us in this meeting what each of you have done in that respect.
“We are going to follow up our directive now. So, you must cooperate with the government to secure our communities because as you all know, security is a collective responsibility.
“Only last month, the National Security Adviser had written and announced that it is now compulsory for all traditional rulers in their communities to have a book to register visitors that come to their communities and what they came to do.
“You can see that what we discussed at the last meeting was preemptive of that announcement and the action the Federal Government is taking now. It means, we are on the right course.
“We will appreciate if you expedite it, because we need to know who is coming to farm, fish, or do any other business in our communities.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State, Mr Echeng Eworo Echeng, promised to strengthen community policing and urged community leaders and their people to provide useful intelligence to the police for prompt response and action.
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