In a bold move to curb the rising cases of kidnapping, banditry and other heinous crimes in the country, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, recently called for the enactment of stiffer laws against the aforementioned crimes. The new laws, according to the IGP, may include possible seizure of questionable assets and proceeds of crime. It is believed that the stiffer sanctions would act as disincentive to potential kidnappers and other perpetrators of violent crimes. The IGP, who made the pronouncement while addressing a delegation of the Nassarawa State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), led by Alhaji Aminu Mazu Maifata, in Abuja, explained that stiffer laws would curb the rising criminality in the country.
He also reiterated the achievements so far recorded nationwide by “Operation Puff Adder” in the war against criminality. We support the call for stiffer laws that would curb the rising criminality in the country. However, we think that the government should tackle other problems that can lead to crimes such as unemployment and poverty.
Beyond the enactment of stiffer sanctions to deter the criminal elements in our midst is the urgent need to curb the proliferation of arms and ammunition in the country. We believe that the proliferation of arms might have made it easier for criminals to have access to them and thereby worsen the nation’s security. Not quite long ago, the Director-General of the National Taskforce on Small Arms, Light and Chemical Weapons (NATFORCE), Dr. Emmanuel Okereke, revealed that some Nigerians were stockpiling arms and ammunition ahead of the 2019 general election.
He blamed the nation’s porous borders for the proliferation of arms by desperate individuals. Now that the election is over, there is need to mop up all illegal weapons in the country by the Nigeria Police Force. The proliferation of arms and ammunition in the West African sub-region is so frightening and dangerous for the nation’s security.
Available statistics show that the number of small arms and light weapons that circulate in West Africa is said to be about 500 million. It is worrisome that over 70 per cent of these weapons are reportedly in Nigeria. There is no doubt that the presence of these illegal weapons in the country must have exacerbated the nation’s security challenges. While Nigerians await the enactment of the new laws to tackle the rising criminality in the country, we enjoin the Nigeria Police to apprehend those in possession of illegal arms and prosecute them.
The Federal Government should also rejig the war against the insurgents in view of their recent daring raids in Borno State and other theaters of the war. Now that the country is grappling with so many security challenges, we call on the lawmakers to enact laws that will effectively tackle most of these security challenges, especially kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery.
It is, therefore, imperative to review all our ineffective laws and enact new ones that will frontally address the rising insecurity in the country. It is disturbing that these crimes have continued to escalate despite sundry measures to contain them. The Federal Government should adequately equip the police and other security agencies to enable them face the rising security challenges.
It is reassuring that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the security agencies to tackle the security challenges. The president might have been worried by the recent killing of scores of people in banditry attacks in three communities in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Therefore, his new commitment to stamp out banditry, terrorism and kidnapping in the country is welcome.
We also laud the arrangement to implement the new security strategic plan which would involve the state governments and the security agencies. We commend the initiative and urge all the stakeholders to ensure that it works. Above all, the Federal and State governments must work together towards the creation of state police which many Nigerians believe will tackle the nation’s security challenges.