Expose them

•Governors importing arms illegally should be named and shamed

THE proliferation of small arms in the country has been a worrisome subject in recent years. Militants, insurgents, kidnappers, assassins and armed robbers are known to brandish arms to overawe their victims at will, leaving many to wonder how they were able to procure such weapons in a country that has a full complement of security agencies. The trend got worse in the past year as containers of guns were seized either at the port or on their way to destinations that remain shrouded in mystery till date, as the godfathers are never arrested, let alone prosecuted.

This has led to speculations. Since politicians are known to procure the services of roughnecks armed to the teeth during the electioneering process, it has always been suggested that top politicians in the ruling and major opposition parties import the consignments and provide cover for their goons if and when such is intercepted.

However, the official attestation by Dr. Emmanuel Okereke that, indeed, those elected or appointed to defend the society are responsible for the growing state of insecurity in the land calls for serious concern. Dr. Okereke, as Director- General of the National Taskforce on Small Arms, Light and Chemical Weapons is in position to know, and when he volunteers information that governors who enjoy immunity by virtue of the 1999 Constitution are behind the war against the Nigerian society, he should be taken seriously. This is unfortunate given the spate of crimes that has cut short lives and turned the country to a jungle in the Hobbesian sense. In a world where many states are failing, it is frightening what could become of Nigeria in a decade if things continue at this rate.

We call on Dr. Okereke to be more specific. It is not enough to say governors are behind the menace, he should come forth with their names. If he is unable to make the names public, he, as a patriot and public officer, should forward such names to the security agencies in order to curb the dangerous situation.

It is instructive that the director-general blamed it on porous borders and ports, which is an indication that the relevant institutions of state have failed to perform their statutory functions. But, it is surprising that the Federal Government has failed to shape up the agencies. We find it difficult to agree with Dr. Okereke that the solution is the establishment of a National Commission for the Prohibition of Small Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons. There are already too many bodies established that all we need is the legal authority and political will to enable the agencies function professionally and optimally.

The fact, as adduced by Dr. Okereke, that a Bill towards the establishment of the commission has been pending before the National Assembly since the Sixth Assembly, and that a resolution was passed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that all member-states should create such agencies is no reason to rush to establish one.

Our experience on the war front against the Boko Haram insurgents, as well as cattle rustlers, murderous herdsmen is enough to make the government sit up. Barely one month to the presidential election, government should do all that is necessary to tighten control at all our  ports and borders; those looking forward to fomenting trouble should be restrained by ensuring that more weapons are not allowed to get to wrong hands. Security agencies have a duty to partner with the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure free and fair election, the with lives of officials, voters and the general public secured.