By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
The Kogi State House of Assembly has begun legislative processes to regulate the movement and entry of terrorists, bandits and other persons with criminal intentions into the state.
The bill, titled “A Bill to Provide for Preventive Measures Against Entry into the State of Terrorists and Persons with Criminal Intentions, to Provide Security Checks on Immigrants and for Connected Purposes, 2025,” scaled second reading during plenary in Lokoja.
Sponsored by Hon. Yusuf Zakeri Eneva (APC-Okene II), the proposed law seeks to provide a legal framework for regulating the influx of people into Kogi State and verifying their identities.
Eneva said the bill was introduced in response to growing concerns about the movement of suspected criminal elements into the state through its borders with neighbouring states.
He said the legislation would strengthen intelligence gathering and security profiling by law enforcement agencies while providing non-kinetic measures to protect lives and property.
Leading the debate, Eneva noted that Kogi’s strategic location and borders with several states made it vulnerable to security threats.
He stressed the need for a legal framework to monitor people entering and residing in the state while ensuring that security agencies have access to relevant information.
Supporting the bill, Hon. Jibril Abu (APC-Ajaokuta) described it as timely, saying it would help prevent terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities before they take root in the state.
Abu said the passage of the bill would benefit residents of Ajaokuta and the entire state, stressing that the influx of bandits into Kogi should be tackled firmly.
Other lawmakers also supported the bill, saying recent security challenges across the country had shown the need for proactive measures to protect lives and property.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf, said security should not be left entirely to government and security agencies.
According to him, citizens also have a responsibility to report suspicious persons and activities in their communities.
Yusuf said the porosity of Kogi’s borders, particularly those with Niger and Kwara states, required stronger security measures backed by law.
He urged residents to provide security agencies with timely intelligence on suspicious persons and activities.
The Speaker commended Eneva for sponsoring the bill and directed the committee responsible for processing it to consult widely with traditional rulers and other relevant stakeholders.
He said such consultations would help the committee develop effective measures that would strengthen the state’s efforts to protect residents and property.