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Tag: illegal arms

  • Menace of illegal arms

    Menace of illegal arms

    • We cannot be tired of talking about this because of its consequences on national security

    The menace that the inflow of illegal arms and ammunition poses to the peace and stability of Nigeria was again brought to the front-burner of national discourse with the revelation by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, that, over the last six years since 2018, 10,498 arms and 14,929 rounds of ammunition in 20 major shipments, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N9.58 billion, were seized by the agency.

    But for the commendable vigilance of the officers and men of the NCS that resulted in the abortion of the attempts to bring these weapons into the country, we can best imagine how much worse the current debilitating insecurity in large swathes of the polity would have been.

     It is particularly instructive, as Mr Adeniyi noted, that over 60 percent of these seizures occurred within the last year alone and that “this recent surge accounts for 34.67 percent of the total Duty Paid Value, 20.58 percent of the arms seized and a staggering 99.62 percent of the ammunition intercepted over the six-year period”.

    This kind of statistics should spur the President Bola Tinubu administration, particularly through the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) that coordinates all security agencies, to redouble efforts to curtail the spread and use of illegal arms and ammunition across the country.

    Smuggled arms and ammunition seized by the NCS included 11 guns, including pump action rifles, six pistols, semi-automatic spray guns, military vests, among others, at the Tin Can Island Port, on March 15. Again, on July 1, 2024, operatives of the NCS in Rivers State intercepted a container with a substantial cache of arms, ammunition and drugs with a total Duty Paid Value of N13.9 billion.

    According to the NCS, “We followed its sail across continents and we benefited immensely from credible information through our collaboration with intelligence communities, both at local, national and international levels”. This confirms Mr Adeniyi’s assertion that the NCS has moved from a reactive to a more proactive focus and integrated approach in protecting the country’s borders, to enhance the safety of citizens.

    Yet, the large quantum of arms and ammunition in circulation as evidenced by the intensity of the violent activities of criminal non-state actors, suggests that a sizable amount of illegal weapons still get into the country despite the efforts of the NCS.

     According to experts, some of the sources of illegal weapons in the country include arms captured from security agencies during confrontation with criminal groups, sale of weapons to criminal elements by unscrupulous security agents and supply of weapons by international terrorist networks to their affiliates within Nigeria, such as Boko Haram.

    Read Also: Withdraw illegal arms, says Oshiomhole

    Others have also attributed the inflow of illegal arms into the country partly to the collapse of largely failed states such as Libya, particularly with the fall from power of Colonel Muamar Ghadaffi, as well as Nigeria’s expansive and porous borders.

    But no excuse is good enough to justify the arms and ammunition in wrong hands. Government has a responsibility to effectively secure every inch of Nigeria’s borders and should urgently deploy latest advances in science and technology to achieve this goal.

    It is commendable that President Tinubu has assented to the bill establishing the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) under the office of the NSA to help address the problem.

    It is worrisome that despite the numerous seizures of illegal weapons by the NCS at various border posts over the years, those arrested in the process and the owners of the containers utilised to commit the crime are hardly ever prosecuted in court. There are thus no punitive examples to serve as a deterrence to others.

    We hope that the arraignment before a Federal High Court in Abuja, last month, by the NCCSALW, of 10 suspects over their alleged connection with the illegal arms importation into Port Harcourt in June will be diligently prosecuted, to mark a departure from the past trend.  

  • Withdraw illegal arms, says Oshiomhole

    Withdraw illegal arms, says Oshiomhole

    A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has urged security agencies to retrieve illegal arms in Edo State, in order to ensure a peaceful, free and fair governorship election on September 21.

    Oshiomhole, also a former Edo governor, who now represents Edo North District, spoke yesterday at APC campaign in Benin, Oredo Local Government Area.

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    The ex-President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said: “For us to have free and fair governorship election in Edo State on September 21, the security agencies have to do their work, retrieve the illegal arms, and make sure that people are free to come out and vote, one man one vote, on September 21, without being harassed.

    “Already, we have information of people who went to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Akoko-Edo, Orhionmwon, and other local government areas of Edo, but are being harassed by the arms’ carriers in the society.”

  • Three held for illegal arms possession in Niger

    Three held for illegal arms possession in Niger

    The Niger State Police Command has arrested three persons for alleged thuggery and illegal possession of prohibited firearms.

    Commissioner of Police Shawulu Dan-Mamman said he suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons and substance suspected to be Indian hemp in Maitumbi, Minna.

    According to him, they were arrested about 1am on April 30 during a raid of the Corpers’ lodge area.

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    He said: “When we received the distress call, our patrol team of Operation Flush with vigilante members, led by the DPO rushed to the area and successfully arrested the suspects.

    “The suspects are known for thuggery and use of dangerous weapons to terrorise residents.”

    Dan-Mamman added that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for investigation, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other accomplices at large.

  • Election violence: NATFORCE seeks special courts to try illegal arms’ carriers

    THE National Taskforce on the Prohibition of Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Ammunitions and Light Weapons (NATFORCE) is pushing for the establishment of special courts to prosecute offender.

    Besides, the body also asked the Federal Government to hold accountable perpetrators of election violence within and outside the government in the interest of lasting peace in the country.

    It said that considering the widespread killings and destruction of property during the 2019 general elections; the establishment of special courts for conveyors and carriers of illegal arms has become imperative.

    NATFORCE Director-General Osita Emmanuel Okereke, who took stock of the elections at a news conference in Abuja yesterday, noted that though the polls on a general note, could be said to be successful, those responsible for the violence that characterised the exercise in some states must be held accountable.

    He said that sanctioning those responsible for the killings and general insecurity would go a long way to sanitise future elections in the country.

    Citing Rivers State, Okereke insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari should ensure that the interest of an individual in the state does not put the people’s lives in danger or ruin the future of electoral process in the state.

    Okereke said: “The individual in question knows that his popularity in the state has expired. Nobody should be allowed to make the state ungovernable for the government and people of the state. It is completely uncalled for and steps should be taken to bring the state to normal.”

    To stem the tide of election violence in some states, the NATFORCE boss urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to carry its members along in the conduct of any supplementary election.

    He said: “As INEC prepares to conduct re-run elections in some states, we plead with the commission to carry our agency along in the conduct of the election for the purposes of ensuring that the ugly incident that marred the initial efforts to have a free and fair election in some states is not repeated.”

    The special courts, he said,  should be set up to try those caught with illegal arms and ammunitions to ensure quick dispensation of justice .

    Okereke said the measure would also aid in ridding the country of incidences of Boko Haram, kidnapping and wanton destruction of lives and property.

    According to him, the  immediate establishment of a National Commission for the Prohibition of Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Ammunitions and Light Weapons by the Federal Government was overdue.

    He noted that a bill sponsored to that effect by the agency was awaiting concurrence in the Senate after scaling the third reading in the House of Representatives.

    Okereke appealed to the leadership of the Eighth Senate to ensure passage of the bill before the expiration of its life span in June.

  • Task force to employ 280,000 to combat illegal arms

    THE National Task Force (NATFORCE) at the weekend said it intends to employ no fewer than 270,900 youth across the country to combat the menace of illegal importation of small arms, ammunition and chemical weapons.

    It, therefore, urged the National Assembly to pass the bill establishing the National Task Force (Natforce) into law.

    Speaking at the training programme for candidates of the paramilitary organisation in Ilorin at the weekend, its Director General, Osita Okereke, said the organisation aimed to recruit 350 officers in each of the 774 local government areas of the country to also tackle pipeline vandalism.

    The Natforce DG said that the organisation was established by ECOWAS Treaty in 2009, adding that only Gambia and Nigeria are yet to pass the bill to begin operation.

    He added that the project was capable of stemming violence and insecurity prevalent in various communities in the country, adding that it was aimed at returning peace and protecting lives and property in local government areas.

    Okereke, who said that proliferation of arms and ammunition had compounded insecurity challenges in the country, added that a baby with a gun is more powerful than an armless hefty man.

  • Police seek voluntary surrender of illegal arms

    Cross River State Police Commissioner Hafiz Inuwa has called on residents in possession of illegal arms to surrender them to the police.

    He made the call in a statement by the command’s spokesperson Irene Ugbo, at the weekend in Calabar.

    Inuwa said the command had intelligence information about some unscrupulous politicians plotting to scuttle the 2019 general election.

    He said an arms mop up operation would be conducted to retrieve illegal weapons in circulation, halt the ongoing proliferation of weapons and restore law and order.

    The police boss urged residents to take advantage of the voluntary arms surrender window to return illegal weapons in their possession.

  • Lagos to hold security summit on illegal arms, cultism, drugs abuse

    The Lagos State Government plans security summit on security challenges such as cultism, drug abuse, gender-based crimes and arms proliferation, among others.

    Executive Secretary of the Lagos Security Trust Fund, Dr Abdurrazaq Balogun, stated this yesterday at a news conference in Alausa on the summit which is scheduled for Monday at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island.

    Other critical topics for discussion at the summit are: terrorism, transnational crimes, intelligence and community policing.

    Balogun said the summit followed a pledge by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the annual Town Hall Meeting on security held last year that he would convene a larger platform for a more robust deliberation on security issues to proffer actionable solutions.

    “The summit will have four panel sessions on various aspects of security from cultism, drug abuse and gender-based crimes to arms proliferation, terrorism and transnational crimes including intelligence and community policing, among others,” Balogun said.

    He said the theme – “Securing Lagos State: Towards a Sustainable Framework for a Modern Mega City” –  would specifically provide a platform for leaders, leading minds and subject matter experts to share best practices, knowledge and experiences focused on recommendations for a sustainable security framework for the State from 2018 to 2030.

    He said the summit would be used to design and agree on an overall security strategy and system. It will also be deployed to develop homegrown solutions that can be implemented by the State Government.

    He added that a sustainable funding model for security in Lagos State would be brought to the fore at the summit.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Oversees Affairs and Investment, Professor Ademola Abass, recalled the Traffic Summit held at the inception which to a large extent, helped in developing solutions to traffic challenges in the state. He expressed confidence that the Security Summit would come up with acceptable and sustainable solutions to the challenges in the sector.

    Abass said a British-Nigerian scholar and founder of African Leadership Centre, Professor Funmi Olonisakin, would deliver a lead paper on “Leveraging Global Best Practices for a Security Network for Lagos State” while Police chief Imohimi Edgal will present a paper on important security data.

  • Zamfara police want illegal arms surrendered in 14 days

    Zamfara police want illegal arms surrendered in 14 days

    Following the increasing crime rate in Zamfara, the State Police Command yesterday issued a two-week ultimatum to bandits, unlawful groups and individuals in possession of fire arms, to surrender them.

    The ultimatum was contained in a statement in Gusau,the state capital, by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Muhammad Shehu.

    “The ultimatum will commence from today (yesterday), therefore the outlawed groups, especially herders, farmers, yansakai, repentant bandits, vigilante and militia groups, which activities are not in conformity with the laws of the land, should abide by this directives,” Shehu said.

    The command said upon expiry of the ultimatum, the ongoing mop-up of small and light weapons would be intensified.

    It warned that any person or group arrested in possession of firearms would face the wrath of the law.

    The command therefore urged members of the public to cooperate with it and utilize its complaints boxes in sharing the useful Information.

     

  • Buhari orders clamp down on illegal arms bearers

    Buhari orders clamp down on illegal arms bearers

    Security agents have been issued presidential order to arrest and illegal bearers of arms.

    The directive was sequel to Thursday’s National Security Council meeting attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, Defence Minister Monsur Dan-Ali and the service chiefs.

    Giving an update on the meeting on his Twitter handle yesterday, Buhari said his government was “stepping up our efforts to tackle the proliferation of small arms and light weapons across the country.”

    “The security agencies already have standing instructions to arrest and prosecute anyone found with illegal arms,” he added.

    Sights of Fulani herdsmen going about with AK 47 and reports of their wanton killings of Nigerians have sparked outrage across the land.

    Benue State recently buried 73 victims of such attacks, followed by Taraba State where scores of people were also killed.

    Buhari’s government has been widely criticised for looking the other way while herdsmen went on the rampage.

    However, the Minister of Defence, Dan-Ali, emerging from Thursday’s NSC meeting, told reporters that the killings in parts of the country could not be blamed solely on herdsmen, because according to him, “there are also militias who also carry arms.”

    He added: “Some people were caught with arms and they call themselves Forest Guards or whatever with AK47.

    “There is nowhere in this country where arms are allowed to be carried apart from legitimate security forces.

    So, anybody carrying any arm is doing so illegally.”

  • Judge orders trial-within-trial in illegal arms importation case

    Judge orders trial-within-trial in illegal arms importation case

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered a trial-within-trial to determine the truthfulness of statements made by suspected importers of arms and ammunition.

    Justice Ayokunle Faji made the order after the Department of State Services (DSS) Head of Investigation Mr. Wale Odu testified.

    The Federal Government arraigned Oscar Okafor, Donatus Achinulo, Mahmud Hassan, Mathew Okoye (at large) and Salihu Danjuma  last June 14 for illegally importing double barrel shortguns, pump action rifles and single barrel shotguns (firearms) without authorisation.

    Led in evidence by the prosecutor, Mr. Julius Ajaikaye, Odu said he took over the case from the Nigeria Customs Services last February.

    He said he interrogated Hassan and Okafor, and that Hassan told him that he was the sole director of Hassan Trade Nigeria Limited, which is the consignee and importer of the arms.

    “He and Okafor had several meetings at Southern Sun Hotel, Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, where he (Okafor) agreed to collect N4million for the clearance of the container. In one of the meetings, Okafor told him that he was charging N4million because the container was carrying pump action rifles.”

    The witness said it was Customs officers’ refusal to collect N1million bribe that led to 100 percent inspection of the container.

    Odu said Okafor also confessed that he participated in loading the container in Turkey with Okoye, and that he handed over a falsified Bill of Lading to Hassan for clearance in Nigeria.

    Hassan’s lawyer, Yakubu Galadima, raised objection to the tendering of his client’s statement. He claimed that statement was not obtained voluntarily.

    Other defence counsel Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) Dr Paul Ananaba (SAN) also aligned themselves with Galadima’s submission.

    The defendants were arraigned on nine counts of conspiracy to illegally import prohibited firearms, “uttering” of forged documents, bribery and importation of prohibited goods.

    All the defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Justice Faji adjourned till tomorrow.