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The Concerned Arewa Citizens today submitted a bill to the Kaduna House of Assembly seeking a law to provide for the registration of southerners in Kaduna and other parts of Northern Nigeria.

The Kano-based group, which submitted the Bill and covering letter jointly signed by its President and Secretary, Audu Bulama Bukarti and Sanusi Umar Sadiq, urged the state assembly to pass the bill as quickly as possible.

The group had submitted a similar bill to the Kano State Assembly. It wants southerners residing and seeking to enter the North to register within ten days.

According to the letter, the bill, which is proposed for consideration by the lawmakers, is to protect Kaduna and the North against terrorism, armed robbery, baby factories, pipeline vandalism, kidnappers and other activities allegedly carried out by southerners.

The group claimed that the North is suffering from most of the evil vices mentioned because of the haphazard entry and exit of southerners that have infiltrated the North.

Part of the letter reads: “This law may be cited as the Kaduna State registration of southerners and Allied Matters Law, 2014 and shall come into force on August 1st, 2014.

“No southerner wishing to enter the boundary of the north shall be permitted to do so unless such is duly registered with appropriate authority.

“Every southerner desirous of entering the northern boundaries for the purpose of residence shall give security in such amount as the appropriate authority may be prescribed and shall supply such information as the authority may reasonably require.”

The Speaker, Shehu Tahir, who accepted the letter, and proposed bill titled ‘Registration of southerners and Allied Matter Bill’, assured the group that the house would consider it and do what is necessary.

•File photo shows Kaduna Speaker Shehu Tahir (middle) addressing a press conference.

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