As the 2015 election approaches, there has been palpable tension in the air. The tension has crystalised into pockets of fighting and killings. These are probably pointers to what will happen as political campaigns begin and the 2015 elections finally arrive.The fighting and killings are also indications that there are too many arms and ammunitions in circulation. Some security experts expressed the opinion that the feared and expected bloodletting may be forestalled if the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Suleiman Abba, take issues of illegal arms seriously, rather than relegate it to window shop discussion.
Within the past few months, the country has witnessed a good number of killings relating to politics. In September, a former Ekiti State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Omolafe Aderiye was murdered. Aderiye, a staunch supporter of Governor Ayo Fayose, was killed on September 25 in Ijigbo area of the state capital, Ado-Ekiti.
The police arrested and questioned 19 persons in connection with the murder, but four persons were later charged to court. Those charged are; Adebayo Aderiye (alias Ojuigo), as well as Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi and Farotimi Osho who are members of the union. No fewer than four persons were killed on Lagos Island on September 20, 2014.
The incident happened as a result of a riot that broke out after a political rally held by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island. Eye witnesses claimed that after the PDP rally, one of the most popular politicians on the Island, Otun Azeez Ashake, was killed by some unidentified men suspected to be political thugs.
It was learnt that trouble started after President Goodluck Jonathan and other PDP national leaders had ended the rally. Some boys, known as Abija gang, attacked and killed Asake.
Two of the assailants identified as Olokodana and Ade Lawyer were said to have led the attack on the deceased. The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said Olokodana and Ade Lawyer were supporters of the Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro.
The following day, two PDP youths were allegedly killed by APC youths in Ebute Ero in retaliation of Asake’s murder. A governorship aspirant under the APC and 25 others were recently arrested and quizzed by the Lagos State Police Command over the murder of a PDP member.
The slain PDP member, Sikiru Ogboye, an agent of his party, was shot dead allegedly on the orders of a chieftain of the APC by suspected thugs, while he was monitoring the PVC distribution. Ogboye was killed on November, 9, 2015 at Ibeju-Lekki area of the state.
Police spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu, said that a pump action gun was found inside the governorship aspirant’s car. Nwosu’s words: “We’ve arrested 26 persons in connection with the killings of the PDP member. Yes, we also arrested a governorship aspirant and recovered a gun from his car.
He would now have to explain to the police how he acquired the gun. He needs to tell us what he was doing with the pump action found in his car and if his explanations are not satisfactory, we’ll charge him to court.”
An eye witness said that the shooting took place around 2pm. PDP chieftains said that Ogboye was monitoring the exercise at the Oriledu Ibeju-Lekki area when he asked to be given the accurate number of those who had so far collected PVCs.
“Governor Fashola’s Special Adviser immediately asked his party’s thugs to deal with him, and one of them produced a gun and shot him point blank,” a PDP chieftain alleged. Abba does not need a soothsayer to tell him what these killings heralds.
Thus, on Wednesday, he announced that in preparation for political campaigns and the 2015 general election, the Nigeria Police Force had mapped out strategies to mop up illegal arms currently in circulation.
The police also warned thugs to find another legitimate source of livelihood, as the it is combat-ready to ensure that thugs and their sponsors do not have any breathing space during the 2015 elections.
Abba said he wanted to ensure that the 2015 general election was hitch-free. His words: “The purpose of this gathering is in furtherance of our efforts to make sure the 2015 general election is not only acceptable but also safe. We will make sure it is safely conducted.
One of the main issues we will be discussing is the issue of mopping up of arms, zero tolerance for thugs and thuggery and many other issues that are important in having a safe conduct of the 2015 elections. The mopping up of arms has been a continuous exercise. I want to particularly mention what you have been witnessing in Imo and Zamfara states.
Hitherto, efforts were made to arm the vigilante and militia in those states and I recall my directives in writing to them, where we directed every commissioner of police to, not only make a press statement banning the possession of illegal weapons, but also advised members of the public to return those arms to the police. “Those recovered through our own efforts, as the law provides, will be prosecuted and justice will take its cause.
This is a continuous exercise and we do not intend to stop it. What we are doing now is that we are laying emphasis on it in view of our coming elections and, in particular, the electioneering campaigns which will begin in few days’ time, Abba said.’’
The police commissioner said that he knew that some politicians used to arm their supporters and that sometimes the politicians might not know that their supporters were armed. “And before you know it, they begin to use it against themselves.
We have the responsibility to protect the lives and property of people in Nigeria and for that reason we are mopping up those arms, especially now that elections are ahead. We will restrategise, we will put in more efforts.” Before Abba made the call, commissioners of police in different states had already done the same.
The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, issued a 14-day ultimatum to politicians, thugs, cult members and supporters of various political parties to surrender all illegal arms in their possession or face the wrath of the law.
Adebanjo, who raised the alarm over massive build-up of arms and ammunition by some unscrupulous politicians and people to cause mayhem ahead of 2015 general elections, said the possession of illegal arms was unauthorised. The commissioner said that a special squad had been set up to arrest those in possession of illegally-acquired arms and ammunition.
Adebanjo added: “Unconfirmed intelligence at our disposal indicates massive build-up of arms and ammunition by some politicians, hired thugs, violent cult groups and other undesirable individuals to cause mayhem if they do not win the primaries.
“Everyone in the state, irrespective of their status, must surrender to the office of the commissioner of police within a period of 14 days all illegallyacquired weapons in their possession.
Failure to adhere to this ultimatum will spell danger for anyone arrested with such illegal weapons. “The anti-robbery and other special squads have been directed to identify, raid, and confiscate such illegal weapons and prosecute offenders in competent law courts.”
The police chief promised that a reward would be given for any vital information volunteered by anybody towards the recovery of arms and ammunition in the hands of suspects. He said: “Insecurity is a threat, not only to the fast approaching elections, but to the security and wellbeing of the citizens, as well as business activities in the state.
It is my duty and responsibility to tackle it squarely with the active support and participation of other security agencies and the good people of Edo State. Together, we must ensure peace and security and that the 2015 elections are violent free.” In Lagos State, the story was the same.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, gave two weeks’ ultimatum to owners of unlicenced firearms in the state to surrender their guns to the police. Aderanti’s directive followed eruption of violence at Isale-Eko area between members of the APC and PDP. At least six people were killed in the three-day confrontation while many others were injured.
The commissioner said that he would not allow thuggery to pervade the state and vowed to speak with political leaders concerning their conducts and those of their supporters in the preparation for the 2015 general elections. He said: “The Isale-Eko situation is what informed my decision in clamping down on proliferation of small arms in the city. We should not encourage thuggery.
There should be no violence in the state. Politics should not be a matter of life and death.” According to him, many people may want to use such guns to commit crime and intimidate innocent people.
If the police are waiting tamely for politicians, their supporters and people in the society who are in possessions of illegal arms to come forward like good kids and surrender such guns, then they have a long wait ahead of them. It will be nothing short of a miracle if anybody heeds the call. Clearly, a desperate measure is needed.
Chief Executive Officer, Principal Consultant, Zenith Intelligence and Security Solution Limited, Mr. Ethelbert Oney, said that it was near to impossible for the police to get people to surrender their illegal armswillingly.
He described the police call to surrender illegal arms as, ‘mere words.’ He, however, suggested that for such an idea to work, the police should team up with members of various communities.
He said: “A mechanism should be put in place to enforce the mop up of arms in circulation. The only problem that Nigeria has is the enforcement of laws.
There should be a mechanism, where there should be an oversight to make sure, that the submission should be obeyed.” Oney said that it was almost impossible in a country like Nigeria for the call the police were making to work.
“The words of the police may just be empty promises, so that they could be seen as working. It’s highly unlikely that the arms would be surrendered; whether illegal or not. If there’s no mechanism to get these arms, the words of the police would be meaningless.
The mechanism should be for the police to set up a body like community policing, which would go round in the community. But the challenge in community policing is that members of the community do not trust the police.
Information about such arms can only come out as information from members of the community. But I feel it’s unlikely, because people don’t like the police. Even if someone gives them such information, they would treat the person as a suspect.
The people don’t have confidence in the police.” One important aspect Abba needs to look at, if he hopes to achieve his lofty dream, is synergy with other security agencies, especially the Nigeria Customs Service. There should be re-enforcement of personnel at the borders immediately to curtail movement of illegal arms into the country.
The borders are presently a believe of activities as the elections approach. Security analysts have also pointed out that anybody found with illegal arms, no matter their socio-politcal status, should be made to face the wrath of the law, to serve as deterrent to others. Most importantly, undercover policemen should begin to monitor politicians and their supporters now.
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