RE: WEAPONS HARAM: KANO ULAMA WEIGH IN

It could be recalled that on several occasions this Coalition had cause to alert the nation on the dangerous and disturbing trend of illegal arms shipment into Nigeria. These  included the case of Gary Hyde and Karl Kleber who were arrested in the UK over the shipping of 80,000 AK47 rifles and pistols and 32,000,000 […]

It could be recalled that on several occasions this Coalition had cause to alert the nation on the dangerous and disturbing trend of illegal arms shipment into Nigeria. These  included the case of Gary Hyde and Karl Kleber who were arrested in the UK over the shipping of 80,000 AK47 rifles and pistols and 32,000,000 rounds of ammunition; the case of the eleven cartons of explosives intercepted at the airport in Lagos on Friday March 8, 2012, illegally imported from South Africa allegedly by one Michael Awara Ernest of Miero Marble Granite & Stones Limited; the arrest by 23 Armoured Brigade, Yola, Adamawa State on March 17, 2012 of an arms running syndicate; the arrest of one Reuben Joel of the anti-terrorism unit of the Nigeria Police Force of Abia State for trafficking in military and police uniforms, among many others.
Many other cases of would-have-been arsonists arrested with explosives attempting to burn down churches or public buildings and widely reported by the media still remain uninvestigated by government. Sometimes those arrested were even adherents of those particular places of worship.
But against all caution and wise advice, the Federal Government, instead of strengthening the hand of our security agencies and encouraging them to prosecute all these cases, rather brazenly handed over the security our coasts to a private company established by a known ex-militant with close ties to the Presidency.
Furthermore, several well-meaning personalities who independently or with the approval of the federal government itself attempted to mediate and broker a ceasefire with the Boko Haram insurgents were thoroughly frustrated by senior members of the same government; then the revelation by the Australian priest Dr. Stephen Davis alleging that General Azubuike Ihejirika and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff are sponsors of the Boko Haram insurgency.
Another serious poser was the one by the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, that the Nigerian Army be probed on the use of funds meant for the procurement of weapons because, as he said, the US was shocked to find out that what was on ground  did not match the billions allocated to the Army (see, for example, http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/us-wants-ihejirika’s-sudden-‘billions’-probed#).
Then came the semi-final episode of the arrest of two Nigerians and an Israeli in South Africa trying to smuggle $9.3m using the pastoral jet of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President of CAN. Subsequent efforts by government apologists to explain away the incidence as a ‘normal thing’ in Nigeria was debunked by the South Africans who clearly confirmed that the transaction has contravened local and international laws.
Then the final episode of this saga was the reported transaction between the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Cerberus Risk Solutions, an unlicensed South African arms broker, which led to the confiscation of another $5.7m by South Africa’s National Prosecuting Agency (NPA), proving the level of desperation of these smugglers and the active connivance of the government in this flagrant display of lawlessness and impunity, and the lack of the basic sense of national pride.
Based on the preceding sequence of events, the Coalition is constrained to arrive at the conclusion that there is a deliberate, longstanding and sustained build-up of arms, ammunitions and other military hardware being smuggled into Nigeria, which the Federal Government may have known but has refused to  contain or explain, for whatever reason; and that the Federal Government by its actions or inactions may have encouraged a situation whereby illegal arms and other weapons are smuggled into the country by air and by sea without recourse to constitutionally provided guidelines; that the arms being smuggled via these shady deals are either intended to be supplied to the militants and insurgents in the South South and the North East.
The Coalition wishes at this juncture to commend and support the bold and courageous stance of certain Christian groups and individuals who have distanced themselves from the unfortunate transactions associated with Pastor Ayo and his aircraft, and who have also called for a thorough and objective investigation into the issue and appropriate punishment meted out to all those found guilty no matter how highly placed they may be.
The Coalition therefore completely rejects the flimsy excuses given by the Federal Government and its image makers. The trio of the President of the Federal Republic, the Minister of Defence and the National Security Adviser must explain to Nigerians the true status of these incidences.
Further, the National Assembly must, with all sense of urgency, transparency and fairness, investigate these illegal arms deals in the open, devoid of politics and must ensure that all culprits are apprehended and punished. All patriotic Nigerian legislators must brace-up and take this challenge by encouraging their colleagues to do the same as manifestation of their concern for the security and welfare of their electorates, and must not let this matter die the usual death of Nigerian scandals.
The Coalition similarly calls on all patriotic Nigerians to remain firm and to continue to exert pressure on the federal government and the National Assembly to investigate the allegations against retired General Azuibuike Ihejerika, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and all those within and outside the government and the ruling party who have been fingered for either supporting insurgents, fuelling the crisis or sabotaging genuine efforts to curb its menace, and the findings must be made public.
In the same light, the Coalition condemns all attempts to polarise this country along religious, sectarian and ethnic lines, and calls on all Nigerians to imbibe the culture of peaceful coexistence and continue to be kind to and tolerant of their fellow countrymen. Muslims in particular and Nigerians in general should remember the teaching of Allah in the Holy Qur’an (5:8):
“O you who believe! Stand firm for Allah, giving witness for justice, and do not let the enmity between you and others make you deviate from justice; Be just, that is closer to piety; Be mindful of Allah, Verily Allah is well acquainted with what you are doing.”
Finally, this Column mourns the passing of Professor Ali Mazrui, arguably Africa’s Number One scholar. May Allah forgive him and admit him to paradise. Meanwhile, for Nigeria and for ourselves, we shall continue reciting HasbunalLahu wa ni’imal Wakeel! (Allah is Sufficient for us and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.”)