Insecurity: Group commends NSA, says bill seeking arms bearing in self-defence is invitation to doom – CSO

A Civil Society Organisation has commended President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu for the approach to tackling insecurity in the country, noting that the level of attack was gradually whittling down.

Operating under the aegis of Civil Coalition for Credible Election, CSCCE, its Convener, Hon. Aminu Usman, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday decried the massive illegal circulation of arms, weapons and explosives in the system, stressing that if Nigerians are allowed as suggested by the bill, Nigeria will transit to doomsday.

The reaction was at the backdrop of a bill seeking Nigerians to be able to defend themselves against bandits and terrorists, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko representing Delta North Senatorial District.

The group pointed out that the alarming number of weapons in circulation has made it impossible for the bill to sail through, hence, they called on lawmakers in the upper and lower legislative Chambers to reject it.

The group said: “We are also quick to object to the proposed bill lying in the National Assembly proposing for citizens to bear arms in self-defence.

“Without mincing words, the bill which was sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko representing Delta North Senatorial District which has passed first reading is an invitation to anarchy and perdition and should be rejected.

“In a survey carried out by a Swiss-based non-profit organisation in 2020, said Nigeria had an estimated 6.2 million arms, excluding explosives in hands of non-state actors, a number far more than the Nigerian military with 586,600 guns and light weapons.

“The non-state actors and some civilians have used illegal arms to wage war against the State and legalizing the use of weapons as captured in the “general principles” of the bill as it were would not be in the interest of the nation.

“Therefore, the Civil Society Coalition for Credible Election is calling on the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and lawmakers of the upper and lower legislative Chambers to reject the bill as soon as it is due for debate.”

According to the group, residents of communities in Katsina State who deserted their homeland due to terrorists invasion have returned home, while they called on government to intensify effort towards full restoration of peace across the nation.

The group which has strong interest in election, security and economic wellbeing of Nigerians, applauded the Federal Government and Security Agencies for raising to the ocassion of tackling banditry and terrorism in the country, insisting that Tinubu took over governance, when insecurity was at its peak.

They said: “We can effectively say, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over governance at no ‘peace time’, given the massive insecurity of banditry, kidnapping, abductions and communal crisis at a high scale level across the country at the time.

“Statistics of Nigerians killed due to banditry, kidnapping, abductions and wanton attacks on communities, particularly in the Northern part of the country stood at 63,111 in eight years of the former President Muhammadu Bulari-led alone as reported in Vanguard of May 20, 2023 shortly before he handed over to President Tinubu.

“Also, in four years, i.e. from 2019 to 2023, which was the last four years of Buhari, the figure of Nigerians killed stood at 35,800, a well-researched figure published by Vanguard on May 20, 2023 and many other national and online media outlets in the country.

“Our commendation will not only go to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, or head of Security Chiefs who are leaving no stone unturned to change the trajectory, but to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who has been relentlessly galvanizing and advising Mr President in a frankly manner on approach to tackling modern day terrorism and all forms of criminalities.

“Nuhu Ribadu’s capability to identify, isolate and process different causes of crises, arising from terrorism, banditry, religious, social, political, economic and communal has made the approach to tackling insecurity in the last nine months effective, moreso, that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) as it is currently has become completely apolitical and is facing the task of advising Mr President on security in a professional and objectively manner.

“The combined effort of security agencies have decimated activities of terrorists across the country and this is no gainsaying.

“As we speak, communities in about seven Local Government Council Areas in Katsina State, the home state of the immediate past President in the North West that have been under siege of bandits for years have been liberated and residents are back to those communities preparatory for farming season.

“One among many residents of communities that have returned is Shimfida in Jibia Local Government Council of Katsina State. Shimfida is located a kilometer from the dreaded forest that is a hideout for terrorists, but with the efforts of the government, life has returned.”