By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA FCT – Human rights activist and federal lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central senatorial district in the 8th Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani has said that the revelations made by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu concerning the insecurity in Nigeria show that fumigation and deworming of the Police and the Army is needed.
Precise Post recalls that Shehu Sani’s reaction is coming against the backdrop of the comment credited to Nuhu Ribadu that many of the illicit weapons currently used by terrorists and bandits originally belonged to the Federal Government.
According to Shehu Sani, the revelations reportedly made by the NSA Ribadu that most of the arms used by bandits and terrorists in Nigeria are same, and sourced from some collaborating security agents is a strong evidence that our security challenges are reinforced and sustained by rogue elements within our security and defence services. Adding that, fumigation and deworming of the police and the Army is needed.
However, Ribadu stated this while speaking at the Arms Destruction Exercise organised by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), on Thursday in Abuja.
The NSA said these weapons fell into the wrong hands due to corrupt elements within the security agencies. He assured that the country is capable of handling its security concerns.
In his words: “We have to find a way of putting a stop to this. We must, if we want to recover our country and live in peace and stability.
“The worst human being is a policeman or a soldier who will take arms from his own formations and sell it or hire it out for the bad people to come and kill his own colleagues.
“We must fight these people, but also there are merchants of death and evil from outside the world. The proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons remains a major threat to our national security, exacerbating issues such as insurgency, banditry and other violent crimes.”
The NSA said the federal government remains committed to providing support to the centre to ensure the safety of every Nigerian.
According to him, by destroying unserviceable, obsolete and recovered arms, we are demonstrating our commitment to a secure future for all Nigerians.
“All illicit arms, not only unserviceable, all illicit. Any weapon that is taken is out there that is through an illegal process.”
“We have laws that govern ownership of small arms. If you do not follow it, it is an illegal arm and it is supposed to be destroyed completely,” he added.
