On Friday, the federal government reacted to the states’ escalating demands for the right to buy automatic weapons for their numerous state security and vigilante groups.
Remember that as the level of insecurity in the nation increased, several states developed internal security networks either on their own or as part of regional agreements to address new types of security threats within their borders.
Given the nature and degree of armament of the elements posing the threats, concerns have been raised over how effective and functioning such security/vigilante organizations would be without being armed with high-calibre weapons.
Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State, recently sued the federal government for allegedly refusing to give the Western Security Network, also known as Amotekun, the right to use automatic weapons like the AK-47 in the course of their work.
He accused the government of having double standards because he claimed a northern state had been given the same authority.
In addition, the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, gave the federal government a month to decide whether to approve his state’s request for the right to arm the new outfit with automatic weapons during a ceremony marking the passing-out parade of the state’s security organization, known as the Community Volunteer Guard.
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The governor asserted that he had requested from the federal government, in vain, that the state security organization be allowed to carry advanced weapons to fight the heavily armed terrorists operating in the area.
After the National Security Council meeting, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor, warned that no state or state governor in Nigeria has the authority to acquire the weapons they are asking for in response to questions about the growing demand by states to acquire automatic weapons for their various internal security outfits.
Gen. Irabor stated that the deployment of high calibre weapons, such as the AK-47 rifles, among others, strictly falls under the purview of the federal government security agencies.
He was flanked by the Ministers of the Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi.
Irabor cautioned citizens to exercise caution and to always read between the lines when state governors make requests, nevertheless.
He asserted that Nigerians (journalists) must be able to read between the lines when statements are made to elicit particular responses rather than the actual security situation.
He shed some illumination by stating that “firearms fall into two primary groups, and the AK-47 is one of them. You have both automatic and what we may characterize as non-automatic weapons, some of which you might even possess if you hold the necessary licenses.
I’m referring to the Pump Action firearms, which are highly popular, as well as occasionally the Danish firearms that some hunters employ.
“Automatic weapons are involved in the course that was specified. No state has received a license for such, he proclaimed, and the federal government agencies alone are responsible for issuing licenses that must be used by official security agencies and not by “quasi-security forces.”
Therefore, you should refrain from asking for things that you are unable to obtain, General Irabor said.
Aregbesola agreed and refuted the governors’ assertion that state executives may also purchase firearms for their local security forces.
“No state government has the authority to equip any of his security personnel or organizations.
Non. Therefore, the untrue assertion that the state government has the authority to establish its own vigilante or subnational security group is untrue, untrue, untrue!
The interior minister continued by outlining the prerequisite requirements that must be met before a municipal license to bear arms can be issued, conditions that, in his opinion, the governors did not fulfill.
“Whoever wishes to legally bring in any weapon must follow a protocol. And everyone who is allowed to import legal ammunition by local law, even the military, must go through this procedure.
Therefore, whomever wishes to import ammo, armor, or weapons is encouraged to follow the correct procedures.
The Minister of Police Affairs stated that the government had “made it categorically clear that it has not issued licence to any state government or to the organization to purchase firearms for subnational security outfit is false, absolute false!” in reference to the application for the purchase of firearms.
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