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From John Adams Minna
More reactions have continued to greet the passage of the controversial Hisbah bill by the Niger State House of Assembly, the latest being the Boys Brigade Nigeria, Niger State council, which described the action of the state assembly as an attempt to destabilise the peace of the state.
The Boys Brigade said it supports the position taken by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which not only condemned the bill, but also urged the state governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago, not to assent to it.
The position of the Boys Brigade was contained in a 12-point communique issued after an emergency meeting of the state executive council in Minna, the state capital on Tuesday. The communique, which was signed by State Organising Secretary, Mr. Samson Japhet Pada said: “The Boys Brigade Nigeria, Niger State Council supports wholeheartedly, the position already taken by the CAN, Niger State chapter, which condemned the passage of the bill and calls on the state governor not to sign the controversial bill into law.”
The Boys Brigade which expressed dismay over the passage of the Hisbah bill, pointed out that, “what Niger State needs at this critical moment in the face of both security and economic challenges, is a law or legislation that will address the security situation in the state to enhance economic growth and well being of the people.”
It, therefore, described the sponsor of the bill as an agent of destabilisation, advising Christians to be vigilant when people come to canvas for votes from them in the forthcoming elections. The Boys Brigade cautioned the governor that the Hisbah bill, if signed into law will further worsen the fragile economy of the state just like Shari’a law of 2001, which stagnated the development of the state due to exodus of people and business organisations from the state in the aftermath of its implementations.
“Niger State is yet to recover from the social and economic setback after the introduction of the shari’a law. We cannot afford another experience of shari’a law.”
According to them, “Hisbah bill is a direct threat to the peace and stability of the state known for peaceful coexistence among diverse ethnic and religious groups.”
The Boys Brigade then suggested that rather than Hisbah bill, the sponsor of the bill should come up with a bill to address the street begging (Almajiri) phenomenon in the state, which has continued to constitute nuisance to the entire northern Nigeria.
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“We believe that the growing poverty and the number of out-of-school children in the state and in Chanchaga Local Government, in particular, should be of great concern to the sponsor of the bill and the State House of Assembly instead of Hisbah bill. “Therefore, they should come up with a bill to address these menaces. People need genuine development and not Hisbah bill. We saw it in other states and it did not bring any development to such states.
“There has been crisis and confusion in states that have so far embraced the Hisbah law. The implementation of such law has always been the concern of the people.
“While the Boys Brigade supports the need for moral discipline in the society, religious institutions should be saddled with the responsibility of inculcating moral discipline on its followers and not Hisbah.”
The Boys Brigade also expressed concern that the Hisbah board as contained in Clause 4 in the bill, is a way of creating job opportunities for only the Muslim faithful in the state to the detriment of Christians, as all the board members shall consist of only Muslims (Clause 6(1), A and B.
In addition, it further that the duties and functions of the Hisbah board shall infringe on the right of non-Muslims, especially Christians as contained in Clause 9 (1) (h, j, n and o) “because this will be in direct conflict with section 38(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion for all Nigerians.”
The Boys Brigade, therefore, called on all Christians in the state to pray against the signing of the bill into law and against any agent of destabilisation of peace in the state, hiding under religion.
The Boys Brigade also called on all Christians, especially Boys Brigade members in the state to get their voter card ready and vote out any individual in the coming elections whose actions are capable of destabilising peace in the state.
“We equally urge Christians in the state to come out of their shell and take active part in politics as that is the only way their voices can be heard,” the communique added.
