Reps urge security agencies to mob up illegal weapons in circulation

The House of Representatives, on Thursday urged the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris to mop up small arms and light weapons in the hands of criminals.

The call by the House followed a resolution on a motion by Rep. Lynda Ikpeazu ( Anambra-PDP).

The motion was entitled, “Need for the Federal Government to Regulate the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Country”.

The House also advised the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service and other relevant agencies to intensify efforts at tracking and eliminating sources of supply of such weapons in the country.

It further called on the security agencies to ensure adequate security at the boarders.

The lawmakers also urged the Executive Arm of Government to ensure that a frequency up-date on weaponry was maintained by the security agencies.

Ikpeazu explained that proliferation of small arms and light weapons was one of the major security challenges facing the country, adding that the development had fuelled communal conflicts.

She expressed concern that the act also posed threat to national security and socio-economic development of Nigeria.

The lawmaker said that increase in armed robbery, kidnapping, terrorism and militancy could be traced to arms in the hands of criminals, trafficked as a result of the nation’s porous borders.

Ikpeazu also said that it could also be traced to the inability of security agencies to effectively check the illegal arms routes.

The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

In her contribution, Rep. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje (PDP-Abia), said that proliferation of arms and light weapons had international dimension.

She traced the problem to the route in the gulf of guinea, Libya and Mali adding that arms and light weapons eventually got to Nigeria due to its porous borders.

The representative called for the upgraded of the Presidential Committee on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons to a commission, to boost its negotiating power at the international arena.

Contributing, Rep. Zakari Mohammed (Kwara-APC), said that the Arab spring increased the volume of illegal weapons into the country and made it very affordable.

The lawmaker, therefore, called for an audit of arms in the country and for the security agencies to be more proactive in tracking illegal arms.

The House, therefore, mandated its Committee on Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence to liase with the police authorities for the compliance to call and report back within eight weeks.