28th October, 2010
The way politicians in the country are stockpiling dangerous weapons ahead of the 2011 general elections is, to say the least, worrisome. The proliferation of arms ahead of an election that is so crucial to the entrenchment of democracy in the country shows that our politicians are ready to wage war against the Nigerian people and waste the lives of innocent citizens to achieve their selfish ambitions.
On Tuesday, 13 containers laden with rocket launchers, grenades, assault rifles and other dangerous weapons were intercepted by security agents at the Apapa Port in Lagos. The weapons were in a shipment whose manifest labeled the goods as building materials.
As officials opened the containers, they pulled away yellow insulation and plastic to reach the individual crates. Such 107 mm artillery rockets are manufactured by China, Iran and Russia, as well as the United States. The containers had been at the Apapa Port since July this year.
The rockets can be fired from launchers with multiple rockets, or individually as a mortar. The rounds seen at the port bore English words, but no information about the manufacturer.
In the hands of highly trained troops, the rockets can accurately hit targets as far as eight and a half kilometres away, killing everything within about 40 feet. Fighters in Afghanistan and Iraq have used similar rockets against U.S. troops.
Such rockets could be used to damage oil pipelines, refineries or residential compounds. They also could be used against Army barracks and other targets.
About five years, ago, a 50-foot container laden with dangerous weapons was also seized in Lagos. Investigations into who imported the weapons or what was their final destination and objective have never been made public. And about a month ago, some dangerous weapons which entered Nigeria through Seme Border were intercepted by security agents. Investigations about the consignment are still not known.
Similar consignments might have successfully entered Nigeria without being detected by security agents. This is dangerous.
An election should not be ‘a do-or-die’ affair. Political parties and their candidates should be selling their manifestoes to the electorate by now instead of stockpiling weapons to intimidate voters and kill opponents. This is unacceptable.
The National Orientation Agency should by now be sensitising voters on an election that is just months away. The commission should not start doing its job when it is too close to election date. The belated sensitisation exercise will not achieve their aims and objectives.
As election draws near, security operatives must also be put on high alert at our land, air or sea ports to intercept other shipments that may be heading to Nigeria. Above all, those behind the illegal importation of weapons must be apprehended, prosecuted and punished accordingly.
The recent declaration of Dr. Kayode Fayemi as the duly elected governor of Ekiti State has come to confirm that violence at the polling units can only be a waste of time when the judiciary lives up to expectation.
Politicians must know that no amount violence will legitimise them in the eyes of the voters. They may be there for some time, but one day, they will be disgraced out of office as the will of the people will prevail in the law courts.
It is even disheartening that the shipment was at our port for three months before it was detected to have dangerous weapons. The content could have been toxic waste that could have wreaked havoc before being detected. This goes to show that there is high level of insecurity in this country.
Those who imported the weapons must be highly connected to have afforded the millions they used to buy and bring the harbingers of death into this country. They must be unmasked for attempting to destabilise our country.
