Governors stockpiling arms, police and Army uniforms as election draws close - DG Okereke makes revelations

- Osita Okereke alleges that governors, candidates and politicians are stockpiling arms ahead of 2019 elections

- Okereke, a government official in charge of the prohibition of importation of illegal arms, wants a bill relating to the issue passed

- The director-general further alleges that governors are currently stocking police and Army uniforms to distribute to thugs

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, Nigeria’s governors, candidates and other politicians are stockpiling arms, the director-general of the national task force on prohibition of illegal importation of small arms, ammunition, Osita Okereke, has said.

The arms, according to Okereke, are meant to kit the thugs of the politicians and candidates and governors, whose names he did not mention.

Okereke, according to The Nation, spoke at the National Assembly on the need for the Senate to quickly pass the bill on the national commission on prohibition of illegal importation of small arms, ammunition and light weapons and other related matters.

The government official pleaded that urgent moves should be made to prevent those in possession of illegal arms from unleashing them on Nigerians during and after the elections adding that governors were acquiring police and army uniforms for distribution to youth to cause mayhem during the elections.

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“Information reaching us shows that some politicians, including governors, have been acquiring arms and ammunition to be given to the youth during the forthcoming general election.

“In addition, they are also acquiring police and army uniforms for these youths for use during the election.

“If the youths that are likely to be recruited were given the opportunity to serve in the proposed commission before February general elections, they would not fall prey to the evil machinations of desperate politicians.

“This is why we want the bill to be passed by the National Assembly and assented to by Mr. President before the election date,” he said.

Okereke noted that nobody is born a kidnapper and Boko Haram, but some people involved in insurgency and other vices are driven by desperation and hopelessness.

Recalling that on December 7, 2017, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) gave Nigeria a mandate to pass the bill into law, Okereke said: “After that, nothing was done by Nigeria to honour the directives.

“There was a reminder on February 8, 2018 by the same sub-regional organisation, giving Nigeria an ultimatum to pass the bill into law within three weeks and yet our country did not obey the directive and now it is one year that Nigeria has not deemed it fit to comply with the order.

“This law has been in existence in 14 countries, except in Nigeria and The Gambia. The treaty was signed in Nigeria and I think it is only proper that our country should expedite action on the process of signing this Bill into law.

“This bill, if passed and assented to will attract foreign investors into the country, guarantee safety of lives and property of the citizenry, eradicate all forms of criminality, including kidnapping, rape and killings in parts of the country. It will also provide massive employment to our jobless youths and also generate revenue for the government.

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“This bill will help to restore security to the grassroots, comprising villages, communities, wards and local government areas like we have never had before now. It will fill the gap created by state police.

“As I am talking to you, Boko Haram insurgents are in every village in the country. Arms and ammunition are in all nooks and crannies of this country.

“Kidnappers have taken over virtually all villages and communities in Nigeria and the only way to fish out all these unwanted elements in our midst is through the establishment of this commission in the country.”

Legit.ng earlier reported that the campaign council of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that some hoodlums are planning to disrupt the Jos campaign rally of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The Plateau state PDP chairman, Damishi Sango, in a statement on Friday, January 11, alleged that the party had gotten credible reports that sponsored thugs were preparing to harass, intimidate and attack PDP officials at a scheduled rally on Saturday, January 12, at the Polo Field, Jos.

Also recently, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Kwara, state was rushed to safety from a rally in Ilorin on Sunday, January 14, after a band of thugs released gunshots in the direction of a packed audience.

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