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By Samaila Emmanuel Bzugu
In a deeply troubling development, Nigeria is grappling with a growing scandal involving security personnel allegedly selling arms and ammunition to terrorists. Recent investigations have led to the arrest of over 40 mobile policemen and soldiers in various states across the country, raising serious concerns about breaches in national security.
These alarming findings emerged from discreet inquiries conducted by intelligence agencies in partnership with the Theatre Command of North East Operation Hadin Kai. The investigation uncovered a disturbing trend of security operatives facilitating the proliferation of weapons that fuel violence and support criminal factions.
The worst human being is a policeman or a soldier who takes arms from his formation and sells them to bad people, enabling them to kill his own colleagues and fellow citizens
National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu voiced grave concerns regarding these illicit sales during an event at the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Abuja. Ribadu expressed his outrage, stating, “The worst human being is a policeman or a soldier who takes arms from his formation and sells them to bad people, enabling them to kill his own colleagues and fellow citizens.” He emphasized the urgent need to eradicate these practices, cautioning that they not only embolden terrorist factions but also aggravate insecurity throughout Nigeria and the West African region.
The involvement of security personnel in these transactions stands as a significant threat to national stability and undermines regional initiatives aimed at combating terrorism. The rise in the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) is particularly troubling, as Nigeria faces the compounding challenge of terrorist group infiltration from neighboring countries such as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
Sources close to the investigation revealed that the apprehensions of these security operatives followed extensive surveillance targeting the arms trafficking networks utilized by these criminal entities. Regions suffering the most from these alarming trends include the North East, North West, North Central, and South East.
One soldier was found to have over ₦50 million in his bank account attributed to arms sales, while a mobile policeman was reported to have accumulated over ₦80 million
Investigations have brought to light the extent of wealth some of the arrested personnel amassed through their illegal activities. Notably, one soldier was found to have over ₦50 million in his bank account attributed to arms sales, while a mobile policeman was reported to have accumulated over ₦80 million. Prices for illicit arms vary considerably: an AK-47 rifle reportedly sells for between ₦500,000 to ₦750,000, with Anti Aircraft guns fetching upwards of ₦1 million.
These transactions highlight an organized and lucrative network of illicit arms trading between rogue soldier elements and the police.
The proliferation of these weapons has worsened insecurity in regions such as the North-East, North-West, North-Central, and South-East
The proliferation of these weapons has worsened insecurity in regions such as the North-East, North-West, North-Central, and South-East, where bandits, terrorists, and separatist groups continue to launch deadly attacks on communities.
