DSS Blames Military, Security Agencies for Proliferation of Firearms
A Director of Operations in the Department of State Security (DSS ), Godwin N. Eteng, has said some unscrupulous individuals in the armed forces and other security agencies engaged in the sale of small arms, a development which had further compounded the security situation in the country.
Speaking when he appeared before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Customs and Excise and National Intelligence investigating the “frightening influx of small arms and light weapons into the country, he lamented that there are currently persons with criminal records in the security services.
He said:”Some agencies have over a period of time recruited people who were before cultists and armed robbers and are now wearing uniforms.
“And the question is- are we doing enough checks on our people who were recruited into security services?
“Like we had a situation where in one of the armouries belonging to one of the armed forces, how many pistols just got missing with quantities of ammunition and all the pistols were new.
“In the armoury, no place was broken into, but the weapons were missing. And we’re interested in knowing what happened?”
He also disclosed that some states are not helping matters when it comes to the incidence of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
He indicted states including Nasarawa, Benue, Taraba, Plateau as entities which are conduits for trafficking of small arms and light weapons which are being used to fuel ethnic crises in some regions of the country.
According to him, herdsmen from Senegal, Gambia and especially Central Africa come into the country through illegal borders carrying Ak 47 rifles.
Eteng, however, recommended targeted legislations on prohibited firearms, more extensive vetting of those recruited into the security agencies, the release of funds for logistics for border patrol personnel. electronic manning of and deployment of cameras at borders, review of crisis management at Local Government levels as a way forward.