Insecurity: We’re working towards amendment of ECOWAS protocols — FG

THE Federal Government has said that it is working towards amending the Economic Community of West African States protocols on the free movement of human and cattle within countries in the sub-region to address the challenge of banditry.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this yesterday when he featured on a Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily.

According to the minister, most of the bandits and criminal herdsmen terrorising the country are not Nigerians.

He said their coming into the country through the land borders could not be checked because of the ECOWAS protocols.

Mohammed stated, “The ECOWAS protocols allows trans-human between all the ECOWAS countries. That is why we are thinking of seriously reviewing the ECOWAS protocols in that respect.

“What we find out today is that a lot of criminalities have been introduced through the herdsmen and trans-human.”

He said the herdsmen and bandits also have access to sophisticated weapons because of the proliferation and smuggling of small arms across the sub-region.

He added, “The issue of smuggling of small and light arms is a very serious one and it has to do with border control.

“If you build a house in the slum as a rich man, poor people will not allow you to rest. Nigeria is surrounded by countries that are either poor or land-locked.” 

This move by the government may not be unconnected with the recommendations given the Buhari administration by the senate on how to stem the rising tide of insecurity in the country.

The upper chamber had made six recommendations to the Federal Government on its resumption plenary, early this month, after recess