The House of Representatives has invited the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Custom Service, Col. Hameed Ali and the Director of State Security, Mr. Lawal Musa Daura to brief the house on its comprehensive plan of curbing the rising rate of illegal arms importation in addition to strengthening ports checks. This came during the House plenary on Wednesday, 27th September, 2017 after a motion titled “Fighting the Influx of small Arms and Light Weapons” by Hon.Obinna Chidoka (PDP: Anambra) highlighted that four major seizures of illegal arms that had been imported from Turkey had been made by the Nigerian Customs Service. He also put the total number of firearms seized as totaling to about 2,671 pieces.
In addition, Hon. Chidoka related the four separate seizures by the Nigerian Customs Service as confirming a recent report of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, which identified Nigeria as a destination for smugglers of small arms and light weapons. The lawmaker expressed worry that the Nigerian Customs Service may be inadequately equipped or motivated to handle the influx of small arms and light weapons into the country due to the absence of functional scanners at the port to further scrutinize containers in line with global best practices.
Consequently, the House invited the Nigerian Custom Service and Director of State security to brief the House on its plan. However, its resolution was silent on the exact date that this briefing is to take place.
