Zamfara State Government has warned Osun State Government against deporting Northern youths who allegedly sneaked into the South-West state during lockdown.

Zamfara said this in a statement made available by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communications, Zailani Bappa, on Thursday, April 30th, 2020.

Osun State Government had on Wednesday, April 29th, 2020 raised an alarm over the large number of northern youths, particularly Zamfara indigenes, sneaking into the state.

The Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State, Prince Adeyanju Biniyo, had accused the northerners of “sneaking” into the state, threatening that the Osun Amotekun Corps has been detailed to apprehend and deport the “strangers”.

In response, Bappa faulted Binuyo, with a claim that the Zamfara’s youths are Nigeria citizens who can reside in any state of their choice.

The statement reads in part,

The attention of Zamfara State Government was drawn to a story credited to the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State, Prince Adeyanju Abdullahi Biniyo, where he alleged “an influx of Zamfara indigenes” into the state and described it as “dangerous”.

As if the entrants brought in war, he also called on the Osun indigenes ‘not to panic’ as the state has instructed Amotekun to fish them out and ensure that anyone escorting trucks that offload goods is turned back and escorted out of the state.

Doubtlessly, the above position as portrayed by the Deputy Chief of Staff is not statesmanly and smacks of bad taste. Indeed, it is condescending and totally negates good practices expected of leaders in a Federal setting such as Nigeria.

It is, therefore, against federal law to instruct Amotekun to arrest “all Northern Youth who had escaped into the state by hiding in trucks” as quoted by Mr. Binuyo for deportation back to their so-called state of origin.

Nigeria and the World at large is facing a serious and challenging pandemic. All civilised societies are joining hands together to fight the spread of this pandemic and even extending helping hands to others. It is, therefore, disheartening that Osun state will take the path of isolating assumed outsiders and segregating what should be a common fight by all Nigerians.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.