A fresh controversy has erupted in the Enugu State House of Assembly over a proposed Crowd Control and Management Bill, with the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu, denying knowledge of the bill, DAILY GAZETTE reports.
The development followed criticism of the proposed legislation on social media, with some residents describing it as an alleged attempt to place restrictions on public gatherings and infringe on the constitutional right to freedom of assembly.
Rt. Hon. Chima Obieze, who represents Ezeagu state Constituency in the Assembly, had announced on Tuesday that he submitted a private member’s bill seeking to establish the Enugu State Crowd Control and Management Agency.
He said the proposed legislation, titled the “State Crowd Control and Management Agency Bill, 2026,” was designed to regulate the management of crowds at various events in the state and prevent deaths arising from stampedes, overcrowding, asphyxiation and other crowd-related incidents.
According to him, the proposed law would apply to religious, festive, educational, social, sporting, musical, political and philanthropic gatherings.
Obieze said the bill places the primary responsibility for crowd safety on event organisers, who would be required to take measures including providing safe entry and exit points, engaging qualified professionals for stages and electrical installations, making adequate security and fire-safety arrangements and providing special considerations for children, women, elderly persons, sick persons and people living with disabilities.
He also proposed the establishment of the Enugu State Crowd Control and Management Agency as a corporate body responsible for monitoring and enforcing crowd-management standards, as well as issuing regulations and guidelines.
The proposed agency, according to the lawmaker, would have a chairperson, an executive secretary and five experienced members appointed by the governor for a four-year term, renewable once, alongside representatives of relevant government agencies and security institutions.
Obieze said violations of provisions of the proposed law would attract fines or imprisonment, depending on the nature of the offence.
The proposal, however, immediately generated controversy online.
DAILY GAZETTE reports that a facebook user, Chizoba Ugwuagbo, announced plans to mobilise signatures against the proposed legislation, describing it as an “anti-human rights bill” allegedly disguised as a crowd-control measure.
Ugwuagbo argued that some provisions of the proposed legislation could interfere with the constitutional right to freedom of assembly.
He cited the 2007 Court of Appeal decision in Inspector-General of Police v. All Nigeria Peoples Party & Ors., arguing that citizens should not be subjected to government permission as a precondition for holding peaceful meetings, rallies or processions.
He also questioned the necessity of creating another regulatory agency when institutions such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps, State Emergency Management Agency and Fire Service already have responsibilities relating to public safety and crowd management.
Another major concern raised by Ugwuagbo was the provision defining a large gathering as one involving more than 100 persons.
He argued that the requirement for organisers to liaise with the proposed agency could potentially extend to political, religious, social and traditional gatherings involving more than 100 people.
Ugwuagbo further questioned the prospect of a government-appointed agency monitoring gatherings, particularly political meetings where participants might discuss opposition to the government in power.
He consequently called for the proposed legislation to be stopped before it reaches a public hearing.
Amid the controversy, the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Uche Ugwu, issued a statement denying knowledge of any such bill before the chamber.
“There is no crowd control bill on the floor of the Enugu State House of Assembly. Kindly disregard the purported bill. Thank you,” the Speaker stated.
