Insecurity: Checkmate proliferation of firearms, punish anyone possessing arms illegally, Senate urges FG

THE Senate has asked the Federal Government to checkmate proliferation of firearms and enforce the laws against illegal possession of firearms by arresting, disarming and punishing anyone in illegal possession of arms.

The upper chamber also asked security agencies in the country to deploy drones and helicopters in forests and other ungoverned spaces to identify illegal camps of armed bandits and crush the criminals.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, made this known during plenary while reading the resolution of the red chamber regarding the insecurity situation in the country.

The senators also observed a minute silence in honour of of all victims of insurgency, banditry, herdsmen-farmers clashes, and other security challenges at the plenary.

The resolutions were taken following the call made some senators on the need to urgently address the security challenges plaguing the country.

The lawmakers who made the call included: Senators Tolulope Odebiyi (Ogun West Senatorial District); Solomon Adeola (Lagos-West Senatorial District); Ademola Balogun (Oyo South Senatorial District); Ali Ndume (Borno South Senatorial District), amongst others

The Senate, therefore, resolved as follows:
“Urge the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR to direct the National Security Adviser and the Newly nominated Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police to device a proposal to rejig the nation’s security architecture and disposition of forces for more effective counter measures against the current security challenges particularly in the rural areas;

“Urge the State Governors to re-invigorate rural governance and convene state-wide inter-communal conclaves and dialogues to promote local conflict resolution and inter-ethnic harmony;

“Urge the Federal Government to immediately embark on an operation to checkmate proliferation of firearms and enforce the laws against illegal possession of firearms by arresting, disarming and punishing anyone in illegal possession of arms;

“Urge the State Governors to implement the National Livestock Transformation Plan which is a modern scheme designed to eliminate transhumance in order to prevent farmer-herder conflicts and activate highly productive livestock sector in Nigeria;

“Urge the Security Agencies to actively deploy drones and helicopters to monitor forests and ungoverned areas in Nigeria, to identify illegal camps of armed bandits;

“Urge the Federal Government to adequately equip the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian Customs Service to police and monitor our borders using technology to check illegal immigrants, and checkmate smuggling of fire arms and light weapon;

“Urge the Federal Government to resuscitate and inaugurate the National Task Force Commission to combat the proliferation of Light Weapons, Small Arms and Ammunition; and

“Urge the Federal Government to review the ECOWAS Protocol of free movement to checkmate the infiltration of criminal elements into Nigeria.”