The House of Representatives at its plenary session on Thursday, 15th March 2018 mandated its Committees on Customs, National Intelligence and Public Safety to investigate the alleged importation of military uniforms and equipment by the Kogi State Government. This came after Hon. Karimi moved a motion on the floor of the House suggesting that the said State Government was importing military camouflage illegally.
Presenting the motion, Hon. Sunday Karimi (PDP: Kogi) noted that Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) establishes Armed Forces of the Federation that constitutes of the Army, Navy, Air Force and such other armed forces that may be established by the National Assembly. He also said that Section 217(2) of the Constitution stipulates for the Federation subject to an Act of the National Assembly to equip and maintain the armed forces and that only the President of Nigeria as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation could deploy troops by virtue of his powers under Section 218 of the said Constitution. Therefore, no State Government had the power procure arms, equipment, uniforms etc. for the military or delve into any matter in the exclusive list.
Following this, Hon. Karimi highlighted that there were strong indications that the Kogi State Government had breached the relevant provisions of the Constitution as he gave a breakdown of what the state government had procured. The State Government had imported 100 pieces of military camouflage, 26 pieces of military jungle boots, 20 pieces of plastic knives, 24 pieces of black bulletproof vests, 28 black boxing gloves, 26 pieces of arctic hunter bags, 40 pieces of training mats, 20 pieces of black batons, 100 pieces of black T-shirts, 31, pieces of protective glasses, 25 pieces of black glasses and 29 pieces of black uniform belt. In addition, the lawmaker stated that one Mr. Jerry Omodara who was the special adviser to the Kogi State Governor on Security was reported to have gone to Custom Officers after the interception of the illegally imported items to explain that the items belonged the Kogi State Government. The lawmaker further queried the actions of the officials of the Nigeria Custom service for failing to arrest or question Mr. Jerry Omodara and for asking him to produce an end user certificate from the National Security Adviser which under the law, does not authorize any individual or state Government to import such items.
In addition, Hon. Karimi expressed worry in his submission to lawmakers stating that if the trend was allowed to continue, the security and lives of innocent Nigerians politicians would be jeopardized as state governors and private citizens would import arms under the guise of equipping the Military. He called for the matter to be taken seriously in light of several reported cases of assassination and threats to the lives of politicians and public citizens.
The House also resolved to invite the Nigerian Customs Service to explain its role in the ordeal and for not arresting the importer of the firearms and military equipment and mandated its Committees on Customs, National Intelligence and Public Safety to investigate illegal arms importation by politicians and private citizens.
