THERE is, no doubt, that proliferation of fire arms, particularly small arms and light weapons, constitutes a serious security challenge to the nation.
It is against this backdrop that any nation that subscribes to democratic norms and values owes the citizens an inexorable responsibility of ensuring strict regulation of circulation, possession, use and deployment of fire arms within its territorial sovereignty.
This responsibility no doubt requires not only providing legal the framework for the regulation of flow and use of the fire arms, but more importantly in the enforcement of the relevant laws and policies in connection with use and circulation of the arms.
In Nigeria for instance, possession and dealing on fire arms are regulated by the fire arms Act, which essentially provides that apart from service personnel who by virtue of their duties with regards to the security needs of the nation, have access to their service fire arms, especially while in service, no other citizen shall own or be in possession of fire arms unless he is granted a licence for such ownership and possession.
This regulatory framework no doubt is aimed at restricting the possession, use and dealing on arms to a manageable magnitude and subsequent abuse in addition to preserving the security of lives and property of the citizens.
It also has the capacity of preventing insecurity, particularly insurgency, armed robbery, banditry, kidnapping and acts capable of undermining or jeopardizing the power of the state to secure the lives and property of its citizens.
Be that as it may, it is worrisome that today the proliferation of firearms and the subsequent onslaught on the helpless and hapless citizens by non -state actors appear to have assumed an alarming proportion.
According to a report on National Small Arms and Light Weapons survey conducted in 2021 by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies Geneva, approximately 6.4-6.5million fire arms were in the possession of civilian’s in Nigeria as at 2016.
The institute further stated that 14 percent of Nigerian household possessed at least one fire arm, translating approximately to 17firearms per 100 persons nationwide while not less than eight million lives were annually affected by the proliferation of firearms.
Further reports indicates that a total of 7,221 fire arms were surrendered by non-state actors nationwide comprising 700 Benue, Katsina, 416, Zamfara 5,8707, and Akwa-Ibom.
This, to say the least, is unhealthy, worrisome and totally unacceptable as uncontrolled flow of fire arms, especially among non-state actors has the capacity to place the security of lives and property of citizens in tremendous jeopardy. It also undermines the power and authority of the nation to protect its citizens and defending its territorial integrity.
We are worried about the alarming rate of arms proliferation in the country and the continued murderous siege on parts of the nation, particularly the northern geo-political zone by terrorist groups, including ISWAP, Boko-Haram, killer Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers and arsonists, just to mention a few.
There is no doubt that the weak regulation of the flow of the fire arms in the country has contributed immensely to the ravaging and dangerous threat to national security by unscrupulous non- state actors including terrorists and their partners in crime.
It is against this backdrop that we call on the key players in our national security architecture to step up their game in checkmating arms proliferation in the society.
To this end there is the need to address frontally the issue of the nation’s porous borders which facilitates free flow of illicit trades including inflow of arms into the country without passing through due process.
Besides, the deployment of modern technology within our borders with a view to detecting illegal movement of arms in and out of the nation’s territorial sovereignty should be given priority attention particularly now that the merchants of arms proliferation have become sophisticated in carrying out their acts.
Again, there is the urgent need for training and retraining of security operatives in charge of our borders in the application of modern technology rather than too much reliance on kinetic module with regards to their duties and obligations to the nation, which include curbing inflow of fire arms to the country.
More importantly, we should unmask and prosecute the sponsors, agents and privies responsible for the proliferation of arms and ensure that justice is not only done but manifestly seen to have been done.
