The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Ali Hameed is to appear before the House of Representatives over the spate of illegal inflow of firearms into the country.

The Director-General (DG) of the Department of State Security (DSS), Mamman Daura is also expected to appear before the lawmakers to explain how he intends to tackle the menace o the proliferation of firearms in the country.

Highlights:

• The invitation followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Obinna Chidoka (PDP, Anambra), who expressed concern over interception and seizure of firearms totalling 2,671 pieces.
• “It is of grave concern that the January 2017 firearm shipment was intercepted by the Nigerian Customs after it was purportedly checked and certified free to go with its deadly cargo and had indeed left the premises of the port when it was tracked down after a tip-off. Equally worrisome is the fact that the recent firm arms seizure, which is the second in the month of September and fourth in 2017, would appear to suggest that the syndicate behind the influx of firearms into the country had stepped up their nefarious trade, with far-reaching consequences for the country.”
• “It should also be a major concern that the Customs Service might not be adequately equipped and motivated to handle the influx of small arms and light weapons into the country, due to the absence of functional scanners at the port to enable the agency to effectively scrutinise containers in line with global best practices.”
• “The recent influx of firearms into the country has confirmed the recent report of the United Nations Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, which identified Nigeria as a destination of choice for smugglers of small arms and light weapons.”

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram