The Senate has summoned all heads of security agencies including service chiefs; the Director General of the State Security Service, the Comptroller General of Customs and the National Security Adviser over the proliferation firearms in the country.
The invitation was sequel to deliberations on a motion titled “proliferation of dangerous firearms in Nigeria” sponsored by Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC, Kaduna North).
You will recall that the customs on several occasions in 2017 intercepted cache of firearms illegally imported into the country. The issue of illegal firearms in the country was also accentuated by the attack on Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna which left nothing less than 50 people dead.
In his motion, Mr Hunkuyi stressed that tribal, communal, religious, and other sectarian clashes, including the farmers/herders crises, are now more devastating due to wrongful and easy acquisition of firearms in violation of due process of such acquisition as laid down by the enabling laws and regulations.
“This is attributable to the inability to control the proliferation of firearms into this country; as well as negligence from the departments of government entrusted with the responsibility to control how individuals, corporate entities can acquire and maintain firearms in Nigeria, but particularly the free access by hoodlums to acquire firearms easily,” he said.
“The situation has worsened to the extent that some opinion leaders are calling on Nigerians to stand up and protect themselves. These prodding at self-defence, if not checked through action by the government, would certainly get to the extent that firearm would be secured by every household either in the name of protection or for some other purposes. From the observation of the United States experience, such a scenario will not augur well for this country.” “As the most populous country on the African continent, the nation’s GDP would certainly be affected adversely,” he added.
The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan (APC, Yobe North) said the motion gives the Senate “an opportunity to look at one of the reasons why we are suffering today.”
“The issue of proliferation of firearms is definitely a major reason why we have the killings going on. “Our security officers are not even properly armed. The armed forces lose their firearms to these culprits and it has been established that most of the firearms in the hands of the criminals are from our armed forces and security agencies,” he said.
The Senate, then resolved to invite the security chiefs to discuss ways to put an end to issue and ensure the security of lives and properties.
