A security expert, and former FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lawrence Alobi, has called on the federal government to review the fire arms law to checkmate indiscriminate ownership of arms in the country.
Alobi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday that the country’s fire arms law was weak and needed an amendment to check illegal possession of arms.
“Our firearms Act is weak, it should be reviewed to be very stringent for people to own fire arms. Anyone found with illegal firearms should be sanctioned,” he said.
Alobi also recommended the setting up of a task by the Inspector-General of Police in all police commands, formations and divisions to recover illegal arms in the country.
“I recommend that the IGP should set up a task force in all police formations, commands, divisions on the recovery of illegal arms in the country.”
He called on the federal government to properly equip the Nigeria Police Force to forestall any threat to peace and security during the 2019 elections.
“They police be properly equipped if not 2019 there will be serious threat to peace and security in the country. Police should also have inventory of what our arms dealers have in their possession and security at our borders should also be strengthened.
“Our security agencies are doing well, but they are not equipped, we are 20 years behind other countries in terms of equipment.
“Security and the wellbeing of the citizens is the prime purpose of the government. A government should be conscious about security of its citizens.”
Alobi attributed the rising cases of kidnapping in the country to youth unemployment, weak economy and moral decadence.
He advised Nigerians to be security conscious and to report suspicious persons to the security agencies.
“Every Nigerian should be conscious of their environment. Some of us feel unconcern about security when we are not affected. We should learn to manage our information, do not tell people about your movements.”
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahaim Idris, had last week, deployed 500 special squad to the Abuja-Kaduna road following rampant cases of kidnapping on that route.
