ONE of the greatest challenges facing Nigeria in recent times is pervasive insecurity that is widespread in all parts of the country. No section of the country is immuned from this evil that has been exacerbated by the proliferation of small arms and light weapon especially among criminals. The criminal elements now use them freely to carry out their nefarious activities including ritual killings, kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry and terrorism among other heinous criminal activities in the country.
NO doubt illegal acquisition of firearms has contributed immensely to the insecurity challenge in the country and has become a source of serious concern to Nigerians.
THEREFORE any efforts to stop the proliferation of illicit firearms in the country is a welcome one. It was therefore a delight to the members of Nigerian public recently when the security agents in their renewed efforts to solve the insecurity problems in the country recovered a cache of large arms and ammunitions being transported to Anambra State, South East of the country. According to the reports, the Troops of the 192 Battalion of the Nigerian Army busted the ammunition smuggling syndicate while transporting a truckload of ammunition to Anambra State on Saturday, July 15.
THE truck was loaded with 720 packets of (Red) cartridges of 12 calibre, containing 25 cartridges per packet totaling 18,000 cartridges. Also recovered was additional 250 packets of live (Black) cartridges containing 10 packets each, totaling 2,500 cartridges of same caliber.
PRIOR to this weapon recovery from international smugglers and unauthorized persons there had been other notable recovery of arms and ammunitions in the country in recent times. For instance, the special military task force, operation (OPSH) maintaining peace in Plateau and environs, recovered 130 illegal weapons in the state and other areas of its joint operation.
ALSO, a combined team of police officers attached to Ekpan Division and military personnel of 3 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Ekpan, on a sting operation, recovered a large cache of assorted arms from criminals terrorising the area.
IN addition, the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) that was established in 2021 in an attempt to fulfil the mandate of ECOWAS charter of 2006 reported that it recovered over 3,000 illegal arms in the last 18 months in the country. The ECOWAS charter of 2006 mandated member states to establish a commission to regulate acquisition, use and disposal of small and light weapons.
ALL these efforts are not just commendable but the right steps to take to rid the country of criminals terrorizing and decimating precious lives of Nigerians by their easy access to small arms and ammunition thereby aiding their criminal activities. These developments are not just good but will instil confidence in Nigerians that remedial actions are being taken to address the serious insecurity problems of the country and an assurance to those that have abandoned their homes and farms can return to continue their daily activities.
WHILE commending the security agents for their on slaught against criminality, we enjoin them to intensify efforts in ensuring that all illegal weapons are recovered in all parts of the country.
MEMBERS of the public must also support them by giving useful information to the security agents to aid them in recovery all illegal arms and ammunition in the country in order to stem the dangerous tide of insecurity in the country. Governments at all levels especially at the federal level must be more proactive in tasking the new service chiefs to live up to expectation and by availing them all the resources required by the security agents to crush militancy and banditry in the country.
