Profiling Nigerians: In praise of the National Security Council

Recently the National Security Council (NSC) creatively applied this wisdom. It commendably slammed the attempted dangerous profiling of some resident Nigerians by some state governments, noting that the hysterical profiling of Nigerians along ethnic and religious line was a “more potent (weapon) than Boko Haram” to disintegrate Nigeria.The council, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, […]

Recently the National Security Council (NSC) creatively applied this wisdom. It commendably slammed the attempted dangerous profiling of some resident Nigerians by some state governments, noting that the hysterical profiling of Nigerians along ethnic and religious line was a “more potent (weapon) than Boko Haram” to disintegrate Nigeria.
The council, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, also has Vice President Namadi Sambo, the Minister of Defence retired Lt-Gen Aliyu Gusau, the National Security Adviser retired Col Sambo Dasuki, Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar, Director-General of the State Security Services Ita Ekpeyong and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency as members.
In the wake of the heightened serial violent campaigns of the insurgents, states like Imo and Lagos and so on have been attributed with the ill-informed idea of profiling residents and even arrest and deportation of resident Nigerians. Nothing could be unconstitutional, unacceptable and unpatriotic. The 1999 Constitution with all its limitations guarantee the right of unhindered residency for all Nigerians in any part of the federation. The spectre of terrorism should call for common citizenship against terrorism not unhealthy profiling of Nigerians and even criminalisation of Nigerians on account of their states of origin or their looks, not on account of any crimes committed by them.
It is therefore commen-dable that President Jona-than ordered the immediate stoppage of deportation and registration of Nigerians within the 36 states of the federation. It was also commendable that the President called for a meeting of the National Council of State with all governors in attendance and underscored the seriousness of the matter and the implication of registration and deportation of Nigerians from one state to the other.
It is also refreshing that the President warned that any security operatives caught assisting in deportation and registration of Nigerians would be heavily sanctioned with additional notice on the youth groups in states such as Kano and Kaduna, who as a result of this act are planning to foment trouble, to desist or face severe sanctions. Both the IGP, Mohammed 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.
The recent muted idea of registration of residents by some state governments shows why we must rethink the uncritical devolution of powers to the states. Registration of residents is an act of least resistance to governance by the state. It is easier to blame imaginary outsiders than to protect lives and properties of all Nigerians in their respective domains. Deporting Nigerians in Nigeria is clearly a diversion from the incompetence of some state governments with respect to security challenge.
The on-going national conference has progressively reaffirmed the right of all Nigerians to residency anywhere. Indeed, the confab is also recommending dual citizenship, suggesting that Chapter III, Section 26(a) of the 1999 Constitution should be amended to read “any person who is or has been married to a citizen of Nigeria” should have citizenship. The conference also suggests that a bill should be introduced guaranteeing the granting of special immigrant status with full residential rights to non-Nigeria spouses of citizens of Nigeria who do not wish to acquire Nigerian citizenship.
Indeed, the national conference recognises the fact that there is an overwhelming need to liberalise the path to naturalized citizenship for other Africans. On the matter of indigene-ship, the national conference recommends that the current constitutional position should be maintained but that a new provision should be inserted into the constitution to read: “The right of any Nigerian citizen to be resident or domiciled in any part of Nigeria should be recognized. Such a resident shall enjoy all rights, privileges and facilities in the place of his/her choice, provided that such a person meets his/her basic civic obligations.”
All the above show that the idea of profiling Nigerians is not only reactionary but does not recognise the rights of all Nigerians to live together in peace. Let the governors cooperate with the President to ensure peace everywhere rather than unconstitutionally deporting Nigerians.