Former minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), has called on service chiefs to end banditry, halt senseless killings across the country, and steer the nation back to a path of peace.
He stated that there were “no excuses” for the ongoing insecurity plaguing the country.
General Danjuma spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at a book launch entitled ‘Big Boots: Lessons from my Military Service’ by Major General Solomon Udounwa (rtd).
General Danjuma, who chaired the event, praised the author’s virtues and commitment to excellence in his military career.
Delivering his address, Danjuma said: “Number one problem today is security. We must end the pandemic and stop the killings that are happening in our country as soon as possible. For those of you who are still serving, there are no excuses. No.”
LEADERSHIP reports that this is not the first time Danjuma will be expressing reservations about the security forces’ handling of the fight against banditry and terrorism.
In March 2018, he accused military personnel of colluding with marauders to kill villagers that they were paid to protect, urging communities to rise and defend themselves if they did not want to be wiped out.
In his response, the chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa, stated that the military was working tirelessly to restore peace across the country.
General Musa added that the armed forces would continue to uphold the values of service, integrity, and honour that define military tradition.
He said, “Let me at least also mention to our distinguished chairman that the armed forces of Nigeria are positioned, willing, dedicated, and committed to ensuring that we restore peace and security in our own dear country. We shall not be deterred. There are going to be challenges, yes, but that’s why we’re here. I want to assure you that we have learned a lot from your record, including very distinguished senior officers who have modelled us all through the years. We cannot afford to fail, and we will not fail.”
The author, Major General Udounwa (rtd), said he was motivated to document his experiences for the younger generation of military officers.
He said, “Well, I was motivated by many factors. The first one is that the military profession thrives on experiential learning. That is to say, younger generations of military officers and soldiers require, you know, the experiences of those who served before them to learn whether it’s issues of strategy, administration, operational management, and the rest.
“So if you don’t document your experiences, that could be lost, and then those coming behind you might not be able to learn from all the exposure and training you had while in service. So, my book is going to be of interest to serving personnel, to military historians, to the academia, you know, for people who are interested in national and international security affairs, and to the general public. So, that was the motivation.”
He reminded those still in service that military service “requires discipline, professionalism, integrity, character, courage, and so many other virtues that an officer must display while undertaking his duties.”
Tinubu Signs Law on Small Arms Control Centre
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assented to the Bill establishing the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) to curb the proliferation of these weapons in the country.
The national security adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed this on Tuesday at the workshop on gender mainstreaming in preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and West Africa.
The NSA, represented by the director of external affairs, ONSA, Am. Ibrahim Babani, said the workshop aims to address an issue of immense importance to Nigeria’s national security.
The NSA said that the president’s assent to the bill was a significant milestone in the government’s commitment to curbing the proliferation of illegal arms.
According to him, this legislative backing strengthens the centre’s mandate and paves the way for more coordinated and decisive actions.
According to the Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based non-profit, in 2020, Nigeria had an estimated 6.2 million arms in the hands of civilians, excluding those of the military and law enforcement agencies.
The survey indicated that 3.21 per 100 persons in Nigeria had firearms, whereas 224,200 and 362,400 guns were in the possession of the military and other law enforcement agencies, respectively.
Ribadu also emphasised the need for gender mainstreaming in preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
He commended the National Coordinator and the entire team at the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons for their dedication in organising this essential workshop, adding that their tireless efforts towards addressing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria were invaluable.
In his remarks, the national coordinator of NCCSALW, DIG Johnson Kokumo (rtd), said the centre had made some significant achievements recently in the fight against the illegal proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Kokumo said the centre had, on July 1, retrieved a substantial cache of illegal arms from the Nigeria Customs Service and made the subsequent arrest of 10 suspects involved in the illicit importation. He said the NCCSALW was currently prosecuting the suspects for illegal importation into Nigeria and prohibited 544 firearms and 112,500 rounds of cartridges contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, among other offences.
On his part, the director of media and publicity, International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS), Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi, said giving legal backing to the Centre is a bold step in the right direction.
“It is a step in the right direction for us because if you don’t have a commission that controls the acquisition and utilisation of small arms, the wrong people will have them for the wrong reasons. So with this, we’ll be able to mop up illegal arms across the country, trace, arrest, and prosecute those who bring them into the country,” he said.
Troops Arrest Notorious Gunrunners In Plateau
Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH have arrested five notorious gunrunners and recovered arms and ammunition in an intelligence-driven operation carried out in Plateau State.
OPSH, in a statement issued by the Media Information Officer, Major Samson Zhakom, said that in a sting operation lasting from midnight on September 16 to the early hours of September 17, 2024, Operation Safe Haven Delta Force and Sector 1 troops raided the hideout of a gunrunner identified as Mohammed Sani at Naraguta Mining Area in Bayameni along Bauchi Road in Jos North LGA of Plateau State.
According to the statement, during the operation, troops arrested the suspected gunrunner and four others, and recovered weapons and ammunition of different calibre.
He stated that the arms included two AK-47 rifles, one Fabrique Nationale automatic rifle, 14 AK-47 magazines, one Fabrique Nationale magazine, 5,316 rounds of 7.62 MM (Special), 98 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO), and 43 rounds of 9mm bullets.
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