The member representing Ezeagu Constituency in the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Barr. Chima Obieze, has dismissed claims that his proposed Crowd Control and Management Bill is designed to restrict human rights or require government permits for weddings, burials, birthdays and traditional Umunna meetings.
Obieze, in a statement dated Wednesday, October 7, 2026, described the allegations as deliberate misrepresentation, insisting that the proposed legislation is aimed solely at protecting lives and ensuring public safety.
“Please stop the lies. My bill has nothing to do with your mundane politics, but purely out of respect for human life and safety,” Obieze said.
The lawmaker said he was compelled to respond because the controversy surrounding the bill touches directly on public safety and the protection of lives in Enugu State.
According to him, the bill is “pro-life, not anti-rights,” noting that Nigeria had recorded more than 100 deaths from preventable stampedes in the preceding 12 months, including the deaths of 35 children at a funfair in Ibadan, more than 10 people during a charity food distribution in Abuja, as well as other incidents in Okija and Port Harcourt.
Obieze argued that the government had a constitutional responsibility to protect citizens, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which places the security and welfare of the people as the primary purpose of government.
He also cited Section 33 on the right to life, stressing that “the right to life is the foundation of all other rights.”
“You cannot assemble if you are dead from a stampede. This Bill protects that right to life,” he said.
On the allegation that the proposed legislation would require permits for social and traditional gatherings, Obieze described the claim as false.
“The post claims my Bill requires government permit for weddings, burials, birthdays and Umunna meetings. This is false,” he said.
He explained that Section 3 of the proposed legislation places the primary responsibility for crowd control and management on the organiser of an event, while Sections 4 to 15 provide safety guidelines covering issues such as the professional installation of stages and electrical equipment, provision of entry and exit points, barricades, fire extinguishers and first-aid facilities.
The provisions, he added, also cover traffic and parking arrangements, as well as measures to protect children, women, elderly persons and people living with disabilities.
Obieze said organisers of charitable distributions expected to attract thousands of people would be required to notify and liaise with the relevant security agency to ensure adequate security arrangements and prevent a recurrence of deadly stampedes.
He further explained that the bill defines a gathering as an event involving fewer than 100 persons, while a large gathering involves more than 100 people.
“At no point does the Bill say you need a permit from Government to do a burial or wedding. It says BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR CROWD,” he said.
The lawmaker also rejected suggestions that the proposed legislation was targeted at opposition political parties, insisting that its provisions would apply equally to government programmes, opposition rallies, church crusades, festivals, masquerade displays, carnivals and private parties.
“It does not target opposition. Stampede does not check party card,” Obieze said, adding that “fire does not know APC, PDP or Labour Party. A collapsed stage does not ask if you are government or opposition. Safety is non-partisan.”
He described attempts to politicise the proposed legislation as dangerous, arguing that public safety should not be subjected to partisan considerations.
“To politicize a public safety measure is to play politics with human lives,” he said.
Obieze, who is a lawyer, also argued that the constitutional right to freedom of assembly is not absolute, citing Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution alongside Section 45, which he said permits laws reasonably justifiable in the interest of public safety, public order and public health.
He maintained that crowd control and event safety regulations were already recognised in other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, the United States and Lagos State, and argued that Enugu State should not be an exception.
The lawmaker subsequently challenged members of the public, the media, the Nigerian Bar Association, civil society organisations and Mr. Ugwuagbo, who he said had criticised the bill, to obtain and study the full text before passing judgment.
“I therefore invite the public, the media, the NBA, civil society and indeed Mr. Ugwuagbo to read the full Bill, which I am hereby publishing. Criticize the content, propose amendments, attend the public hearing. That is how democracy works,” he said.
Obieze reaffirmed his commitment to the proposed legislation, saying: “I remain committed to making laws that protect lives, not endanger them.”
This version keeps the central claims and direct quotations intact while making the story more news-driven, balanced and readable.
