Private Jets And Arms Proliferation

Penultimate Wednesday, the National
Task Force on illegal Importation of
Light Weapons and Small Arms (NTFIILWSM) alerted a bewildered nation of the proliferation of firearms in Nigeria.
The Director-General of the task force, Osita Okereke, who reportedly divulged this in Okrika, headquarters of Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, blamed the ugly and worrisome trend on the activities of private jets owners in the country.
Confirming an increase in arms buildup in the country, particularly as the 2015 general elections draw closer, Okereke said the fact that Nigerians, especially top politicians, who now rush to buy private jets, do so without proper checks, bring arms into the country to pursue their political interests.
Okereke who accused some governors of bringing in arms said that arms do not only come through the waterways, as was believed long ago but more through private jets. Incidentally, if it is true that governors are involved, they cannot be arrested because of the immunity they enjoy, but how that affects national security is not considered.
Okereke’s worry came at a time when the use of small arms across the nationa was becoming too rampamt.  Apart from the number of arms employed by Boko Haram, the various ethnic militias and armed robbers, political activities have also recorded the use of small arms.
Despite the commendation of the task force for checking mass importation of arms, The Tide is not impressed with the handling of the matter which, from all intents and purposes, is capable of undermining the security of lives and property in the country.
It is not enough to prevent mass importation of firearms or recover those already in unauthorised hands as the task force chairman claims, the task force needed to name perpetrators, even if they cannot be brought to justice now. More importantly, they need to seize such contrabands and not just cry foul.
Similarly, airport officials, the security agencies and politicians are not helping matters either as their actions and inactions towards the phenomenon and national security fail to attract the needed attention. Sadly enough, nobody knows when, how and on whom such weapons would be used, but Nigerians need to be aware and properly guided.
Perhaps, if the youth get to know that the fight they are being sponsored to prosecute every now and then may not be mere knife fight, many would decline.  Indeed, the availability of loose guns has made every little conflict fatal.  This is neither civilization nor part of democracy that the people want.
The Tide believes that more than ever before, the National Security Adviser, the Defence Minister, Military Chiefs, and the entire security community need to ask themselves some questions on this ugly trend and get some home truths that would help them find a far-reaching and lasting solution to the threat this presents.
We need not over emphasise the fact that the safety of the citizenry is about the highest expectation from any government, hence, more pro-active measures need to be adopted to ensure the security of lives and property at all times.
As it is, government should, without delay, confirm if there are security waivers for private jet owners as a first step towards keeping a tab on them and ensuring that they do not in any way constitute a threat to national security.
Even so,  no effort should be spared at checking all aircrafts, water vessels, as well as helicopters being used by the oil and gas firms for arms, even as steps should be taken to mop up loose guns before the police are overwhelmed.