The Nation Newspaper

Tag: arms

  • President seeks $1b loan for arms, ammunition

    President seeks $1b loan for arms, ammunition

    President Goodluck Jonathan is asking the Senate to approve a $1 billion (about N165) loan for the fight against Boko Haram.

    The President said he needed the cash to upgrade military equipment and for training as well as logistics for the Armed Forces.

    The Federal Government voted N968.127 billion for defence in the 2014 budget.

    Jonathan made the request in a letter entitled: “Tackling ongoing security challenges: The need for urgent action.”

    The letter was sent to the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    The letter was read yesterday by Senate President David Mark at plenary.

    He noted that the approval of the fund, which would be sourced from external borrowing, would enable the armed forces to confront insurgency more forcefully.

    The letter said: “You are no doubt cognizant of the on-going and serious security challenges which the nation is facing, as typified by the Boko Haram terrorist threat.

    “This is an issue we have discussed at various times.

    “I would like to bring to your attention the urgent need to upgrade the equipment, training and logistics of our Armed Forces and security services to enable them more forcefully confront this serious threat.

    “For this reason, I seek the concurrence of the National Assembly for external borrowing of not more than $1 billion dollars, including Government to Government arrangements, for this upgrade.”

  • Arms firm found in Enugu

    The police in Enugu have discovered an arms manufacturing company located at Ihuoha Amansiodo Oghe in Ezeagu local Government Area of Enugu state.

    According to a police bulletin signed by its spokesman in Enugu, Ebere Amaraizu, the factory was allegedly run by “an operator identified as one Ejike Eze who also manufactures the gun for the use of suspected hoodlums”.

    Eze was said to have escaped during a raid on the arms factory. His lover, identified as Juliet Nwachukwu in whose home some of the equipment and guns were found was arrested.

    Amaraizu said acting on a tip-off,  the Special Anti Robbery Squad(S.A.R.S) of the Enugu state command  received from the members of the public o in the early hours of Friday, raided the gun manufacturing company.

    It was gathered that when the police struck, the suspect was said to have swiftly relocated  some of the manufactured cut to size double barrel and single barrel guns, manufacturing tools and some of the manufactured cartridges to the lover’s house, identified as a widow and mother of four.

    Eze was said to have absconded from there.

    Police said Juliet admitted that the guns and the tools were brought to her two days earlier by the manufacturer who did not tell her reason for bringing them to her house.

    She, however, revealed that Ejike  has been a manufacturer of gun for sometime now and regretted accepting the guns from him.

    A large quantity of  manufactured and about to be manufactured guns with some manufactured live cartridges as well as some tools for the manufacturing were recovered by the police.

    Police said investigations into the  incident have commenced in full scale just as manhunt on the fleeing suspect is intensified while Juliet Nwachukwu is helping the police in their investigations.

  • Oba of Benin decries influx of arms

    THE Palace of the Oba of Benin yesterday condemned what it described as proliferation of arms and other dangerous weapons in some communities in Benin Kingdom.

    It said it was regrettable that youths of the affected communities have turned the areas into war zones due to disagreements over ownership of land.

    Four persons were reportedly killed, while houses and cars were razed last week in Okhoromi community, Oredo Local Government Area, following clashes by rival gangs over the ownership of land in the community.

    Reacting in a statement yesterday, the Obasogie of Benin, Chief Eduwu Ekhator, also chairman of the Committee on Peace and Conflict Resolution, who hinted that the Oba of Benin had summoned the Enigies and other elders for a meeting, stressed the need for youths to embrace peace to avoid further bloodshed in the kingdom.

     

  • Fed Govt withdraws charges against Russians over alleged arms smuggling

    For 15 Russians accused of unlawfully importing arms and ammunition into Nigeria, it was time to go home yesterday. They were freed by a Federal High Court, Lagos.

    This followed an application to withdraw the charges against them by the Federal Government.

    Zhelyazkov Andrey; Savchenko Sergel; Lopatin Alexey; Baranovskly Nikolay;

    Llia Shubov; Dimitry Bannyrh; along with Alexander Tsarikov; Kononov Sergel; Chichkanov Vasily; Varlygin Igor; Komilov Alexander; Mishin Pavel; Korotchenko Andrey; Vorobev Mikhail and Stepan Oleksiuk were arrested by the Navy on October 18, last year, onboard a vessel, MV Myre Seadiver, for allegedly carrying cache of arms into the nation’s water without authorisation.

    They were handed over to the prosecuting agencies, who later charged the accused to court on four counts of unlawful importation of firearms and non disclosure of content of vessel.

    The accused were first arraigned on February 19 before Justice Okechukwu Okeke now retired.

    They had pleaded not guilty to the charge and were released on bail to the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria. The vessel was admitted to bail in a bond of $500,000(USD) to be obtained from First Bank Plc.

    The case was transferred to Justice James Tsoho following Justice Okeke’s retirement.

    They had pleaded not guilty to the offences which were said to have contravened Sections 27 of the Firearms Act, as well as the Provisions of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, 2004.

    At the resumed hearing before Justice Tsoho, prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Usman Hajara informed the court of an amended charge before it.

    She said that all previous charges against the Russians have been dropped while an amended charge against one Stanley Chineye and his firm, Maritime Services Limited was filed.

    Hajara prayed the court to strike out the charges against the Russians, their vessel as well as their company, Moral Security Group Limited, while the amended charge be substituted.

    Tsoho granted the prosecution’s prayer by striking out the charges against the foreigners and fixed November 26 for trial of the new accused.

    According to the amended charge, Chineye allegely acted as agent to the Russian vessel and had allegedly misguided them that he had obtained permit from the Navy for the vessel to enter the nation’s waters, which was false.

  • Arms smuggling: FG drops charges against Russian sailors

    15 Russians accused of unlawfully importing arms and ammunition into Nigeria, were on Tuesday set free by a Federal High Court, Lagos, following an application to withdraw the charges against them by the government.

    The Russian sailors – Zhelyazkov Andrey; Savchenko Sergel; Lopatin Alexey; Baranovskly Nikolay;  Llia Shubov; Dimitry Bannyrh; along with Alexander Tsarikov; Kononov Sergel; Chichkanov Vasily; Varlygin Igor; Komilov Alexander; Mishin Pavel; Korotchenko Andrey; Vorobev Mikhail and Stepan Oleksiuk were arrested by the Nigeria Navy on October 18, last year, onboard a vessel, MV Myre Seadiver, for allegedly carrying cache of arms into the nation’s water without authorisation.

    They were handed over to the prosecuting agencies, who later charged the accused to court on four counts of unlawful importation of firearms and non disclosure of content of vessel.
    The accused were first arraigned on February 19 before Justice Okechukwu Okeke now retired.
    They had pleaded not guilty to the charges and were released on bail to the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, while the vessel was admitted to bail in a bond of $500,000(USD) to be obtained from First Bank Plc.
    Following Okeke’s retirement, the case was transferred to Justice Jame Tsoho.
    They had pleaded not guilty to the offences which were said to have contravened Sections 27 of the Firearms Act, as well as the Provisions of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, 2004.
    At the resumed hearing before Tsoho, prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Usman Hajara informed the court of an amended charge before it.
    She said that all previous charges against the Russians have been dropped while an amended charge against one Stanley Chineye and his firm, Maritime Services Limited was filed.
    Hajara prayed the court to strike out the charges against the Russians, their vessel as well as their company, Moral Security Group Limited, while the amended charge be substituted.
    Tsoho granted the prosecution’s prayer by striking out the charges against the foreigners and fixed November 26 for trial of the new accused.
    According to the amended charge, Chineye allegedly acted as agent to the Russian vessel and had allegedly misguided them that he had obtained permit from the navy for the vessel to enter the nation’s waters, which was false.

  • ‘Arms’ importation must be checked’

    A group yesterday launched a campaign against what it calls “worrisome proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition” in the country. It was at a media parley organised by members of Champion Youth Development Association of Nigeria (CHYDAN), a non-governmental organisation.

    The conference with the theme: “Mapping out effort against armed violence in Nigeria,” was held at the Nigerian Railway Recreation Garden at Tejuosho, Yaba, Lagos Mainland.

    The group urged the Federal Government to establish what it calls Merchant Navy Corps to check illicit importation or smuggling of arms and ammunition into the country through the high seas.

    Its president, Umaru Ismail, said the Corps was first established by Lord Lugard in 1914 before it metamorphosed into the Nigerian Navy in 1958 from Merchant Navy Corps to combat pirates on the water-ways and the high seas.

    He said if the Merchant Navy Corps is revived, it would checkmate the illicit importation or smuggling of arms and ammunition into the country.

    He said it would prevent arms from getting into the wrong hands, thus fueling robbery, militancy and terrorism.

    Mr Ikwa Ugom, who chairs CHYDAN’s disciplinary committee, said the Corps would checkmate the misuse of youths by politicians during elections. Ms Margerate Kataiko, its National Matron, said it would correct security lapses on the high seas and at sea ports.

  • Bayelsa raises alarm on arms influx

    •Govt: neighbouring states responsible

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson yesterday raised the alarm on alleged arrangements by disgruntled politicians to reopen destroyed militant camps in the state.

    He said those behind the plot had started acquiring arms to actualise their scheme.

    In a tacit indictment, Dickson said “neighbouring states” were behind the plot to destabilise Bayelsa.

    Delta and Rivers states share boundaries with Bayelsa. While Delta is relatively calm, Rivers has been enmeshed in a violent power play.

    He insisted that desperate politicians and their collaborators from neighbouring states were behind some of the street protests in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    The governor alleged that such disgruntled elements, who are bent on unsettling the state, had gone underground to organise what he referred to as “sponsored mass street protest”.

    According to him, the looming protest was part of the group’s campaign of calumny and propaganda against the government.

    Dickson, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said politicians from neighbouring states had unleashed their anger on Bayelsa.

    He said: “In recent times, we have seen deliberate attempts by this group of desperate power seekers sponsoring some gullible graduates to take to the streets.

    “They were behind the recent protest by pensioners. It is sad to note that they are now on a planned mission to incite unsuspecting youths to take to the streets to protest against the government.

    “As a responsible government, we will not watchwhile these persons continue to threaten and undermine the peace and security that our government has worked so hard to put in place.

    “Hence, we wish to warn all and sundry that government will not hesitate to bring down the full weight of the law on anybody who breaches the existing peace.

    “To this end, Governor Seriake Dickson has directed security operatives to be on the alert and deal with trouble makers within the ambit of the law.”

  • JTF finds Boko Haram arms, graves, bunker and tunnels

    JTF finds Boko Haram arms, graves, bunker and tunnels

    Some shocking discoveries have been made in Maiduguri, the beleaguered Borno State capital that is the engine -room of the Boko Haram insurgency.

    The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Restore Order II, found mass graves, tunnels and bunkers in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

    JTF spokesman Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa showed reporters shallow graves, tunnels and bunkers at Bulabulin Nganaram yesterday. He said Boko Haram men who died in gun battles with security troops were buried in the graves.

    Around the shallow graves in the open field were decomposing bodies and human bones. There was a big bunker where the JTF said it discovered a cache of weapons. The bunker, according to the JTF, was dug behind a two-bedroom apartment, making residents to believe it was a sewage pit. There were also tuunels, which are believed to have served as passage for the insurgents from their hideouts.

    Bulabulin Nganaram is believed to be the main stronghold of the insurgents.

    The JTF, in a statement by Col Musa, said: “The Joint Task Force (JTF) between 3-8 July, 2013 dislodged Boko Haram terrorists from their main enclave in Bulabulin Nganaram, Aljajeri and Faluja areas of Maiduguri metropolis.

    “During the encounter, some terrorists were killed in the fire fight, including the main Amir of Bulabulin Nganaram (who was on the wanted list of the JTF with a ten million naira bounty). He was responsible for the killing of a teacher and three students of Sanda Karami Secondary School, Ruwan Zafi Maiduguri. Many abducted women, girls and children were rescued and handed over to their families by the Task Force.

    “During the search of the areas, many arms and ammunition of various calibres buried in houses and cemeteries were recovered. Decomposing corpses of those killed by the terrorists were also found in soak-away and mass graves of terrorists killed. Troops also discovered vast network mouse-holes linking compounds and underground tunnels as well as bunkers under houses. Troops are still searching the area for more weapons, ammunition and mass graves. The JTF uses this opportunity to appeal to members of the public for support and more information on terrorists’ activities.”

    Despite Boko Haram leader Imam Shekau’s denial, the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North insisted yesterday that the ceasefire negotiation with the sect is still on course.

    The committee said Nigerians should expect “something positive” before the end of the week.

    It, however, said it would not take up issues with Shekau in order not to lose focus.

    A member of the committee, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, insisted that the committee had made progress in its negotiation with Boko Haram.

    The source said: “The ceasefire negotiation is still on course; there is no going back. Before the end of the week, something positive will come up that will vindicate our claim that we are negotiating.

    “We do not want to counter what Imam Shekau said, but before the end of the week, there will be something positive.”

    Asked to clear the air on Shekau’s denial of ceasefire, the source said: “We doubt indeed if Shekau made that statement. And if he did, we are raising these issues: Do they know Mohammed Marwana or not who was the person we met with?

    Has anyone come out to say that Marwana is not a member of Boko Haram?

    Has anyone disputed the position of the Deputy Leader of Boko Haram which Marwana claimed he is occupying?”

    The source stressed that neither the Chairman of the committee nor any of its members said they met Shekau. “We had talks with Marwana, who represented the group,” he said, adding:

    “The Boko Haram leadership up till now has not disowned Marwana, who also defended the sect last week that it was not behind the killing of 36 students in a secondary school in Mamudo in Yobe State. Marawana told us that Boko Haram members were not behind the gruesome killings. The sect has also corroborated Marwana’s position.

    “If Marwana is not a member or one of the leaders of the sect, Boko Haram leadership would have disowned him by now. In March, one Abdulazeez said he was speaking for Boko Haram and his claim was swiftly dismissed.

    “So, we will not take up issues with Shekau because if we do, we will now leave substance and begin to chase the shadow.

    “We do not want anything that could derail our ongoing talks with Boko Haram.”

    On the claim by the Defence Headquarters that it was not involved in ceasefire negotiation, the source said it was not yet time for Defence to be involved.

    “This committee does not report to the Chief of Defence Staff or any of the service chiefs. We are expected to report to the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who will then decide on how the military and other security agencies should be involved,” the source said.

  • Kebbi: Army seizes petrol tanker loaded with arms

    Kebbi: Army seizes petrol tanker loaded with arms

    Soldiers in Kebbi State have impounded a petrol tanker loaded with arms and ammunitions.

    The arrest was effected on Thursday during a joint patrol by the army and the State Security Service (SSS),the Commanding Officer, 1 Battalion Lt. Col. Sunday Ilori, said yesterday in Birnin-Kebbi.

    Found in the fuel compartment of the oil tanker were three AK 47 Rifles, one RPG-2, nine AK 47 magazines, two bombs, three RPG chargers and 790 rounds of 7.62mm of special ammunitions

    “The arrest and confiscation of arms was sequel to the on-going operations of the 1 Battalion of the Nigerian Army with headquarters in Sokoto, against insurgency and insurgent activities within its area of responsibilities.

    “The efforts resulted in the arrest of one suspect, arms and ammunition and a petrol tanker on July 11, 2013 after a combined operation between the 1 Battalion of the Nigerian Army and the State Security Services.”

    Two suspects escaped when the vehicle was intercepted

    He said investigation is on to “unravel the source and ownership of the arms and ammunition.”

    The suspect claimed that he was paid N500, 000 to deliver the items to Sokoto and that the owners had threatened to eliminate his family.

     

  • Arms’ importation: Court refuses request for separate trial

    Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday refused a request by seven Russians asking to be tried separately for alleged unlawful arms’ importation.

    They are among 19 Russians charged with the offence by the Federal Government.

    The Navy, on October 18 last year, seized a foreign-flagged ship carrying the weapons and arrested its 15 mainly Russian crew members.

    The cargo was said to have included 14 AK-47 rifles, 3,643 rounds of ammunition, 22 Benelli MR1 rifles with 4,955 rounds.

    Defence lawyer, Mr. Chike Okafor, urged the court to separate his clients’ trial from the others’ who had failed to appear in court.

    He alleged that the prosecution was not diligent enough in prosecuting the case and that his clients needed not wait for those absent.