The Niger State House of Assembly has expressed its determination to address the growing menace of thuggery and unlicensed orphanages in the state.
Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji announced during Thursday’s plenary, explained that the House has set in motion plans to combat these issues, following the presentation of a bill to amend the “Law to Prohibit Thuggery, Use of Intoxicants, and Matters Connected Thereto, 2018”
The proposed amendment, presented by Chief Whip Hon. Kabiru Ustaz, aims to strengthen the existing law by criminalizing thuggery, elevating cases to state high courts, and imposing stricter penalties. The bill also seeks to hold individuals who harbor or support thugs accountable and provide protection for witnesses testifying against offenders.
In a related development, the House also addressed the issue of unlicensed orphanages and motherless babies’ homes, which pose a significant threat to child welfare and public safety.
Member representing Paikoro Constituency, Pharm. Nasir Umar, who presented a motion titled “The Need for Regulation and Proliferation of Unlicensed Orphanages and Motherless Babies Homes Across State: A Looming Threat to Child Security and Public Safety”, highlighted alarming incidents, including child abductions and disappearances, and called for the regulation and re-registration of these facilities.
He particularly mentioned the disappearance of four passengers on a tricycle from Paiko to Minna and a two-year-old child found tied and abandoned in a bush.
Supporting the motion, the Speaker added that four children were abducted from an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Shiroro Local Government Area by a woman whose identity remains unknown.
The lawmakers urged the Ministry of Women Affairs to ensure compliance with regulations and the Ministry of Information to launch sensitization programs to educate parents about the risks of patronizing unlicensed facilities.
With these initiatives, the Niger State House of Assembly demonstrates its commitment to tackling these pressing issues and promoting a safer and more secure environment for its citizens.
