Insecurity: Senate charges FG to mop up small arms, light weapons

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

To curtail communal clashes induced killings among other forms of life threatening insecurity cases across the country, the Senate has called on the Federal Government through its security apparatus to mop up unaccountable number of small arms and light weapons.

The Senate adduced to the fact that reduction of small arms and light weapons from circulation will forestall unfettered access to dangerous weapons by lawless elements engaging in heinous crime.

The Senate call followed a motion titled, “Urgent need for the Senate’s intervention on the militia attack on Okokolo in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State,” sponsored by Senator Abba Moro (Benue South) and four others.

Senator Moro, who lamented that Agatu has continuously suffered untold hardships due to persistent clashes between herdsmen and farmers, decried the incessant attack on harmless, helpless and innocent people of Okokolo in Agatu LGA and its environs by armed militia, describing it as unfortunate.

He noted that on the 30th of June, 2019, there was an attack in a Church in Okokolo, which led to the death of over 25 worshippers, a development he said created fears, anxieties and agonies among the settlers leading them to desert their homes.

Illegal proliferation of small arms and light weapons, he said, has contributed in no small measure to the attacks on Okokolo town.

Former governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, said that Benue State should be given priority in terms of security, noting that the people carrying out the dastardly act are not from Nigeria.

Also, the former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswan noted that the security challenges cut across the country, but lamented that since killings started in the country, nobody has been arrested.

He said that something serious is wrong if at this time, security apparatus in the country cannot identify what is happening.

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha said: “What we called farmers/herders clash is not so. There is a dangerous dimension to this. There is collaboration between these people and the security at the borders. 80 percent of these people are not Nigerians.

“If we don’t fight this insecurity now, this country will be brought to its knee. If Federal Government fails, we fail. If we speak like Nigeria, we will resolve this problem and if not, this insecurity like corruption will stay with us. These are issues we should address and we should not add any political leaning to it.”