Enugu govt proposes bill to checkmate activities of native doctors, others

Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, has transmitted an Executive Bill to the State House of Assembly to checkmate criminal activities native doctors, herbalists and related persons in the state and others.

The proposed legislation entitled “Maintenance of Internal Security, Vigilance and Order”, also outlaws money rituals otherwise known as ‘okite’, criminal bulletproof charms, otherwise known as ‘odeshi.’

It equally outlaws illegal use or occupation of forests and property for criminal activities.

The Bill equally makes it mandatory for private security outfits to register with the State Government, providing the particulars of the outfit and all armed security operatives employed or deployed by them, while all presidents-general of town unions are to submit security reports to local government council chairmen or any other department designated by the government not later than the first week of every new month.

In the same vein, landlords and proprietors of hotels, guest houses, and estate associations are demanded by the Bill to obtain and transmit valid means of identification, phone number, occupation, and place of work of their prospective tenants and guests to the relevant authority.

Penalties for contravention of this provision range from a fine of not less than N500,000 for landlords to N1 million.