SOCIAL IMPLICATION OF PROLIFERATION OF FIREARMS...... By Dotun George

Few days back the custom authority displayed caches of deadly ammunition imported into the country and it is a big signal to all of us and those in government quarters the dangers of the times we are in. Oscar Okafor who was the importer of deadly weapons. Mahmud Haruna Clearing Agent. Sadique Mustapha accompanying Consignment are not just doing this and probably this is not the first attempt. Let us just imagine for a minute the havoc these deadly weapons would have been used to caused if not discovered by another unit of  the custom after the immediate unit for checking and clearing had already given them a clean bill of clearing.

Two officers of the Nigeria Customs Service who allegedly examined and cleared the ammunition -laden container at the Apapa port , Lagos State , have been declared wanted by the custom authority . Abdullahi I, with service number 44483 ASC , and Odiba Haruna Inah, with service number 133386, fled after the weapons were uncovered by the operatives of the Federal Operations Unit , Zone A, Ikeja . Why did they flee, those who sent them and the Syndicate they worked with would have told them to do so, just to cover up and avoid being exposed.

It is obvious that the deadly weapons are actually smuggled into the country for evil machinations. If the custom authority can do thorough investigation, in fact they should do because that is one of their responsibility, every details about the motive behind the importation, who ordered it and paid for it ought to be unraveled, so as to prevent the future of occurrence.

Proliferation of guns and other fire arms are part of impediment that almost grounded America civility in the last three years and even till now, they are yet to overcome the social implications of proliferation of fire arms. Here in our clime, we battle day and night with the deadly attacks of terrorist, militants, kidnappers, armed robbers and killer herdsmen. One needs to ask who and what is fuelling their operations?  Without looking too far, the government officials and the political class are always behind this barbaric acts.

Proliferation of guns is one aspect of the security government and those who are saddled with the responsibility of securing the territorial integrity and civil rights of Nigerians must looked into and give topmost priority. The Fulanis who are herdsmen we used  to know don't carry guns, in fact they are friendly people and now, it has become the things of the past, because those who use them to ferment trouble have changed their nomenclature and their nature.

There is no season, time or situation that cannot be redeemed, the moment those in the place of authority are prepared to do the needful and wake up to their constitutional duties. The advancement of the world has also lead to the decay of the world, building a new nation requiring us building a new people with new orientation, new disposition to life, new approach to humanity and with new mentality.

Every genuine agitation that starts in Nigeria with genuine concerns always end as destructive means in our clime the moment the political class are involved. The importation of the deadly ammunition must not be treated with levity if we are serious with securing our country from the hands of the criminal elements who always do the bidding of propagandist.