State governors have disowned their former colleague, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, over the armoury claim in Government Houses across all states of the federation, asking him to sort himself out on the issue.
The governors, who variously spoke through their spokespersons, said there was never a time they stockpiled arms and ammunition.
Former Governor Amosun made the allegation Tuesday night as he struggled to extricate himself from a media report bordering on illegal armoury at the Government House, Abeokuta — in what is a clear violation of Nigeria’s Firearms Act.
PREMIUM TIMES Monday night reported Amosun as having stockpiled arms, ammunition and other security equipment for a long period at his official residence when he was governor.
The politician, now a senator, called the police commissioner, Bashir Makama, and hurriedly handed over the weapons to him a day before he left office on May 28.
National security officials had found Amosun’s action particularly troubling and illegal, expressing further dismay that the country’s security architecture failed to detect such illegal storage of arms and ammunition for such a long time.
Amosun’s defence
In his defence Tuesday night, the former governor denied keeping the AK47 in his residence but admitted he had the ammunition and armoured personnel carrier in his possession until his last day in office and seven years after he supposedly procured them for the police.
The Firearms Act and other extant firearms regulations absolutely prohibit possession of the type of bullets and armoured personnel carrier — all categorised as controlled equipment — that Amosun admitted handing over to the police boss on his last day in office.
He also said such act was common practice among ‘most Government Lodges’ across the country.
Governors react
However, in separate reactions, spokespersons to some state governors disowned Amosun’s position.
Across the South-west, governments of Ondo, Osun, Lagos, Oyo, Ekiti and Ogun were unanimous in their rejection of the claim, saying it was not part of their executive functions.
“We do not have such a thing in Ondo state Government House,” the state commissioner for information, Yemi Olowolabi said.
“Given the kind of governor we have, we do not need an armoury and we are not buying arms for anybody,” Owolabi further clarified
Similarly, Yinka Oyebode, the chief press secretary to Ekiti state Governor Kayode Fayemi said: “We do not have any armoury and housing it for such a large cache of arms.
“We are not fighting a war. Security operatives get their arms and ammunition from the police command.”
The tone was not different in Oyo state where Taiwo Adisa, chief press secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde said: “I can tell you that the Oyo state government does not have a single gun not to talk of an armoury.
“Whatever Governor Makinde does regarding security, he calls the security agencies concerned.
“The police and other security agencies are paid to provide the needed security for the state, and the governor consults with the security chiefs, including regular meetings with them on matters of security in the state.”
On whether the immediate past governor, Abiola Ajimobi had an armoury, Adisa said he wouldn’t know as no trace of such was found when the new government took over.
And from Osun state, Niyi Adesina, the chief press secretary to Governor Gboyega Oyetola, said keeping arms for any reasons was unknown to him.
Similar view was expressed by Kunle Somorin, the chief press secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun.
He said the new administration had no business with Amosun’s claim, just as he distanced his principal from any claim of arms storage at the Government House.
Also, Gboyega Akosile, spokesperson to Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu debunked the former governor’s claim.
“I know that Governor Sanwo-Olu does not handle arms and does not operate an armoury in Government House. He does not do more than what is constitutionally-required of him as a governor.”
S/south
It was the same story from South-south governors whose spokespersons denied such claim.
Media aide to the Akwa Ibom state governor, Ekerete Udoh, said: “I think this is about the most insanely ridiculous question to ask: How can the seat of government of one of the most peaceful, safe and secure states in the nation have an armoury? To do what with it?
Udoh said the governor was in the business of providing solid dividends of democracy in Akwa Ibom and “not in the business to stockpiling arms.”
“I suggest you direct your inquiry to the relevant agencies of the federal government who are legally tasked and mandated to stockpile arms and secure them in armouries,” he said.
Similarly, Fidelis Soriwei, a spokesperson for Bayelsa state Governor Seriake Dickson said, “You are asking if the governor of a state has an armoury in Government House? Are there no policemen and State Security Service personnel deployed to the Government House?
“It is inconceivable for a governor of a state to have an armoury in Government House.”
From Delta, the governor, through his media aide, Ehiedu Aniagwu, said “What business do governors have with armouries? “Normally, we have policemen and officials of other security agencies deployed to the Government House, and where they keep their weapons is none of our business.
“How can the governor have control over armoury? Government House, Asaba, is for the purpose of running the government, it is up to the police commissioner in the state to direct how policemen carry arms.
“How can the governor be busy thinking about where they keep arms? That is not part of his job.”
In the same vein, Cruose Osagie, media aide to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state, also said, “We have what we called quarter guard which is in every government house in Nigeria, we have policemen, we have the SSS, and some of them are resident there and they have control over their weapons.
“The police and the SSS are under the control of the federal government. The governor absolutely does not have control over where they keep their weapons.”
And in his response, Christian Ita, media aide to the Cross River state governor said, “No, we do not have any armoury in Government House, Calabar, we only have security personnel who are armed by the police.”
Similarly, Oraye Franklyn, who until recently was a spokesperson for Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state said, the governor does not keep weapons at the official lodge.
S/east
Responding to similar inquiry, Ebonyi state Governor David Umahi said there was no reason for him to maintain an armoury in Government House.
The governor’s spokesperson, Emmanuel Uzor said, “we do not have any reason to have an armoury as a state which is under the protection of a constitutionally empowered security outfit.
“There is no need to stockpile arms in the Government House under the direct supervision of the governor who is not a security man. Only the security personnel attached to the Government House keep arms for their operational convenience. Again, we do not have an armoury under the direct supervision of the governor.”
N/east
In the North-east, spokespersons for Borno and Yobe, which have been under heightened security arrangement due to Boko Haram, said Amosun’s claim was not even worth dignifying with a response.
N/West
Muyiwa Adekeye, special adviser, media and communication to the Kaduna state governor, said: “We don’t have an armoury in Government House. Anything procured by the state to assist security agencies are usually handed over to the agencies who are the end users. We usually donate patrol vans, motorcycles and vests to them. But we usually hand it over to them. So we don’t need an armoury.”
It was same story in Kano where Salihu Tanko-Yakassai, the chief press secretary to the governor said, “There is nothing like that.”
Ibrahim Dosara, who served as the chief press secretary to former Governor Abdulaziz Yari, said Zamfara Government House in Gusau did not have an armoury.
“At least three residents of the state were paid N1 million each for blowing the whistle on people who had AK47. So it is impossible for the governor to keep an armoury.”
N/central
Also, Kogi state government it is “not responsible for arms procurement for the security agencies in the state.
“But as the government who puts the security of life and property of all the citizens and residents of the state at the top of his agenda, we give assistance in the donation of patrol vehicles and motorcycles to the security operatives in the state to enhance their operations,” Mohammed Onogwu, the governor’s spokesperson said.
Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom does not keep an armoury at the Government House, Makurdi, and he relies on conventional security agencies for his protection, Terver Akase had said.
“The governor is guarded by the conventional security agencies, including the police, State Security Service and Civil Defence. That is all. The governor does not believe in militia and does not use arms.
“He even recovered illegal arms from people and destroyed them in accordance with the United Nation’s guidelines,” Akase further said.
Also, Yakubu Datti, the immediate past commissioner for information in Plateau state, said: “There is nothing like that.”
