There was fear on Thursday as the Sabon Gari Local Government Area in Zaria, Kaduna State proposed a bill to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol within the local government area.

The hearing on the proposed bill to outlaw the sale and consumption of alcohol took place at the Sabon Gari Local Government secretariat where tensions were high.

Sabon Gari is an area in Zaria, Kaduna State reserved for non-natives.

The Sabon Gari Local Government had sent letters dated October 21, 2019 inviting hotel owners and liquor sellers to the hearing.

At the hearing on Thursday, the hotel owners and liquor sellers who were represented by their lawyer, Mr Daniel Peter, noted that local governments in Nigeria have the powers to license, regulate and control sale of liquor, but he argued that they lack power to prohibit sale of liquor or legislate to prohibit consumption of beer.

He noted that sections 5 and 6 of the said bill clearly prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol, adding that it was outside the legislative powers of local governments.

He argued that the sections were clearly stated in the fourth schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and “therefore ultra vires and not within the legislative competence of LGs.”

He noted that Section 7 of the proposed bill which talked about prostitution had been legislated by the Kaduna State House of Assembly in Section 169 of the Kaduna State Penal Code which he said was applicable and enforceable in Sabon Gari LG based on its constitutional powers.

Instead, the hoteliers recommended that “the proposed Bill should, in fact, be on licensing, regulation and control of the sale of liquor as clearly stated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and not to prohibit sale and consumption of alcohol

They said Sabon Gari should be guided by its legislative powers conferred by the constitution and not arrogate unto itself extra powers outside the provisions of the law.

“That in exercising its constitutional powers of control in this regards, sale of alcohol can be exempted in open.

“That all persons who sell alcohol within the local government must belong to Liquor Association within the local government for easy identification, regulation and control.

“That the local government should only give license for sale of alcohol or liquor to persons approved by Liquor Association within the local government so as to ensure easy/proper regulation and control.”

Also, pushing for the suspension of the Bill at the hearing, the Representatives of local liquor sellers known as ‘Brukutu’, Mr Richard Sankai said outlawing sales of alcohol in the local government area will affect the livelihood of the sellers since most of them are widows who depend on the business to take care of their families.

Meanwhile, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam and the Christian Association of Nigeria in Zaria said no religious body advocated or preached sale and consumption of liquor but urged the council to thread with caution in handling the proposed bill in accordance with the constitution of the country.

The JNI and CAN were respectively represented by Alhaji Aminu Abdullahi and Pastor Moses Haruna.