At a public hearing in Abuja on Thursday, stakeholders backed the proposed legal framework to form the National Taskforce on Prohibition of Illegal Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons, and Pipeline Vandalism (NATFORCE).
The endorsement came after memoranda were presented before a one-day Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence public hearing.
Stakeholders believed that the spread of small arms and light weapons has been the nation’s greatest concern, causing insecurity, and that establishing a Commission to coordinate arms cleanup was perfect at this time.
The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Nigeria Customs Service, however, expressed opposing views on the proposed legislation.
The National Security Agency (NSA) claimed that the prospective outfit should be given center status and be housed in the NSA’s office.
The NSA took a stand against the proposed measure, which called for the creation of a full-fledged ministry with its own administrative structure.
In response, Chioma Onuegbu, Director of Legal Services at the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), mounted a resolute defense, claiming that the proliferation of weapons poses a threat to peace and security, a reason she claimed was compelling enough to warrant the creation of a full Commission with legal backing.
However, the Nigeria Customs Service, represented by Assistant Controller General of Customs Usman Dakingari, believes that “blocking the land borders will catch the perpetrators.”
He also urged for the creation of a National Weapons Database, stating that Nigeria Customs is ready to work with other security agencies to combat the threat.
Senator Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the opening of the session, linked difficulties related with small and light weaponry to conflicts in the Sahel.
Senator Shuaibu Lau, who spoke on behalf of Lawan, said that the spread of weaponry has caused hazardous acts of terrorism, and that “we are compelled to reflect through relevant institutions.”
Consequently, Lawan noted this has precipitated the gathering of stakeholders on National Security and intelligence.
He noted that the essence of the Institutions is to control the menace of terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry among others.
Dr. Yakubu Dadu, head of ECOWAS National office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said “we are in support of the bill”.
According to him, the bill is linked to ECOWAS convention, pointing out that it is only Nigeria that has not established a centre to curb proliferation of small and light weapons in the sub-region.
“ECOWAS is looking up to Nigeria, we have suffered from consequences of small and light arms proliferation”.
Also speaking, the Director-General of Coalition of Nigeria Youths, Ambassador Ade Emmanuel supported the bill, however, emphasised that politics should be avoided during the consideration of the bill.
A member of the Committee, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, punctured the submission of the Office of the NSA.
“The NSA is yet to do its work, this bill started during President Olusegun Obasanjo when we called forensic into the Army, Police, we discovered 178,000 arms and ammunition lost to the criminals”.
Corroborating, Senator Patrick Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo Central) noted “ECOWAS said we should establish a commission through convention, the office of the NSA cannot audit itself, you are supposed to be the umbrella supervising all security agencies” he emphasised.
In a separate submission, the Director-General of National Taskforce Prohibition of Illegal, Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons and Pipeline Vandalism, Dr. Baba Mohammed backed the establishment of the commission.
He cited Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea as countries who have established the Commission to stop killings, kidnappings, banditry.
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