Owerri – Members of the Hausa Community in Imo have teamed up with the state government to fight infiltrators and suspected terrorists.

The Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Rochas Okorocha on Northern Affairs, Mr Faisal Lawal, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Owerri on Wednesday.

Lawal said that the government had an understanding with the community for northern Nigerians residing in Imo to register for easy identification.

He said that genuine northern Nigerians in the state were expected to fill a form to that effect.

The governor’s aide told NAN that the community had indicated interest to join the government in the fight against infiltrators.

Lawal said that the government observed that some people who claimed to be northern Nigerians were not genuine.

He said that plans were being made to conduct a proper search on vehicles conveying such people into the state.

According to him, some of the infiltrators are being brought from outside Nigeria.

Lawal said that infiltrators could pose a security threat, adding that such people would no longer be tolerated in Imo.

He said that such people did not have any occupation but preferred to walk aimlessly on the streets of Owerri.

“Since the identityof such people are not known, it can be dangerous to allow them to mix up with genuine northerners,” he said.

“The genuine northerners will join government to flush out all the bad eggs who claim to be Hausa indigenes,” he said.

He said that the government had no plans to relocate northerners living in Amawusa on Douglass Road, Owerri.

“Government has no plans to relocate Hausas from Amawusa; it is unfortunate that people peddle rumours that can generate crises,” he said.

Lawal said that the government only relocated street traders to the Relief Market, where they were given shops.

He expressed satisfaction that the Hausa Community complied with the government directives, and urged other residents to emulate the community members. (NAN)