-We only acquired bullet-proof jackets, others for vigilantes – Gov’s aide
-I’m yet to be briefed – Customs spokesman
The Senate, yesterday, mandated the Senator James Manager-led Adhoc Committee on recent political violence in Kogi state, to investigate the interception of arms and ammunitions alleged to have been imported by the state Governor, Yahaya Bello.
The resolution followed a point of order raised by Senator Dino Melaye (APC Kogi West), who drew the attention of the Senate to the development. Although the Customs Service claimed ignorance of the allegation, the state government, however, owned up, but with a caveat that there were no arms and ammunitions as claimed by the Senate.
There has been a running battle between Melaye and his governor at different times, with the lawmakers describing Bello’s action as threat to both the nation’s democracy as well as the governing All Progressives Congress.
Rising through a point order during plenary yesterday, Senator Melaye in his motion, alerted the Senate of how the customs officials intercepted some military-related materials allegedly belonging to the state governor. He said:”Mr. President, due to my private investigation, I got a very serious revelation yesterday, and I am so happy that a committee has been constituted by the Senate under the leadership of the ranking Senator James Manager.
“Mr. President, few minutes ago, the Nigerian Customs intercepted sewn military camoufl ages with bola hats, many bullet-proof vests, night vision goggles, tactical boots, tactical knapsacks, training canvas, boxing gloves etc. “These items were intercepted by the Nigerian Customs because they did not come wiThend- user certificates.
When you are bringing military equipment into the country, they must come wiThend-user certifi cate certified by the National Security Adviser.” He further disclosed that upon seizure of these items, one Jerry Omadara, who is the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, went to the customs officers and told them that the items belonged to the state government, and even gave them his complimentary card.
“Jerry Omadara presented himself physically before Customs.
The name of the company that imported these items is SEC communications Nigeria Limited and I have done a search in the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) which revealed the owners of the company are connected to Kogi state government. These items, as I speak, detention notice is on them. “Up till this morning, these items are with NAHCO at the airport here in Abuja.
Mr. President, I hereby move that the vibrant committee constituted this morning under the chairmanship of James Manager move to the airport to make sure that these items are there and not moved and properly investigated. I said before that militias were being equipped by the Kogi state government.
“I believe the committee will unravel the mystery behind this seizure. A situation where a governor is already importing military uniforms and other gadgets when he is not a contractor in the ministry of defence, is a dangerous trend, and the Senate was right when it said Yahaya Bello is a threat to democracy,” he stressed. In his remarks, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, cautioned politicians to desist from acts capable of destabilising the nation’s hard earned democracy.
He said,”this a major threat to our democracy and I want to appeal to politicians and their supporters to remember that we don’t have any other country than this.
If we destroy this country, all of us will suff er it. So, we need to do whatever possible we can to ensure that we keep the waters of democracy clean. “The issue of violence may not help any person. Let us believe this will not be the true fact, but because it has been raised, I think it is important for avoidance of doubt to ensure that we look into this to be able to know what is true and what is not true in the circumstance. “I therefore urge the James Manager committee to look into the additional facts provided this morning just to ensure there is no such importation.
“If there is such fact, please let us know as soon as possible so as to inform the appropriate authority to take actions towards neutralising the use of such equipment.”
Governor’s aide clarifies
Reacting to the allegation, Director General, Media and Publicity to the governor, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, partly faulted the claim. He, however, acknowledged that the imported items were bullet-proof jackets and training kits acquired by the state government for the training of vigilantes in the state. Fanwo stressed that the items did not include fi re arms, saying, “whatever items the state government imported from foreign countries , the state government followed due process.
“The items were imported for the state vigilante service. There is nothing like guns or fi rearms. They are bullet-proof jackets and part of the training kits which some people are mistaking for military uniform” He further said the content of the container does not belong to the state government alone, adding that other climes also used the importer to import their goods.
I’m not aware –NCS spokesman
When contacted on the matter, NCS Public Relations Offi cer, Mr. Joseph Attah told Blueprint on telephone yesterday that he was not privy to any matter relating to arms being intercepted at the Nmadi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.
He said: “I am just coming out of a meeting at the Ministry of Finance where I went for an inauguration. As we speak, I have no idea of what you are saying and I won’t be able to say anything now until I am fully briefed. “
As I was coming out of the Ministry of Finance, two newsmen accosted me to speak about one state government importing arms or something like that, and I told them that you cannot react to what you are not privy to.”
