Buhari Orders Security Chiefs to Halt Proliferation of Illegal Arms

Buhari directs them to ensure that they blocked the gaps aiding illegal arms proliferation.

….. An option perhaps is air surveillance and other things are being considered.

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the service chiefs to halt the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the country.

The president gave the directive on Tuesday at a security meeting held at Aso Rock with the service chiefs to reviewe the security situation in the country.

Speaking with State House correspondents, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, said that President Buhari directed them to ensure that they blocked the gaps and ensured other areas of concern were addressed.

Ibas who recalled that about two weeks ago, the president had to call a security meeting said basically the meeting was to further reappraise the actions taken after the last meeting.

While acknowledging that the spate of insecurity particularly armed banditry, kidnapping and robbery had been on the increase in some parts of the country, the Naval Boss said the briefings were to the effect that the country had better responses from the military and security agencies in those areas that we have earlier mentioned, adding that such move has improved synergy amongst the various agencies that are providing information and intelligence.

He also pointed that the agencies have had members of the public voluntarily offering information in the areas of security challenges.

“I think on the whole, Mr. President was happy with the security situation, the efforts that the armed forces and the security agencies are making to tackle the security challenges.

“Another area of concern was the arms inflow into the nation. It is only God perhaps that can police such an expanse of border that we have.

“That is an area that Mr. President has directed that we do all that we can to ensure that we block the gaps and address security challenges we also need to address.”

He noted that the solution, of course, is to identify other means and strategies of addressing Nigeria’s porous border.

“The military, of course, has the responsibility to defend the country, but there are other agencies of government that are responsible for manning the various borders. An option perhaps is air surveillance and other things are being considered,” he added.

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