*Fails to justify govt decision in spite of need for more weapons
The National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has declared that a significant number of illicit weapons currently in circulation in Nigeria originally belonged to the Federal Government.
Ribadu made this statement on Thursday, during arms destruction exercise conducted by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) at Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment in Abuja.
He explained that the weapons ended up in the hands of non-state actors due to corrupt elements within the security agencies, but failed to state why such should be destroyed after their recovery.
He also did not say whether or not specific security personnel in government have been linked to such recovered weapons and punishment meted out or set out for such saboteurs.
The NSA none the less condemned security personnel who facilitate the distribution of weapons to terrorists, bandits and other non-state actors.
Ribadu assured that the government will do everything possible to ensure the country’s security.
He, however, maintained the country is capable of handling its security concerns, but did not say whether there is an overhaul in tactics since the approach used since the emergence of Boko Haram in Borno State against such electrical appear not yielding the desired results.
“We have to find a way of putting a stop to this. We must, if we want to recover our country and live in peace and stability.
“The worst human being is a policeman or a soldier who will take arms from his own formations and sell it or hide it out for the bad people to come and kill his own colleagues.
“We must fight these people, but also there are merchants of death and evil from outside the world.
“The proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons remains a major threat to our national security, exacerbating issues such as insurgency, banditry and other violent crimes.”
