Leadership (Abuja)
Atang Izang
10 October 2008
In an attempt to control the proliferation of dangerous arms in the country, the Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the establishment of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWS).
While inaugurating the committee to that effect, the Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Fidelia Akuabata Njeze, said President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua directed that the ministry of defence heads a committee of relevant stakeholders charged with the responsibility of making recommendations on the establishment of a National Commission.
The Minister also noted that the inauguration of the committee was coming at a time when the peace and stability of the country had come under increasing threat by the activities of armed groups as currently being witnessed in some parts of the country.
"These groups do not use armoured tanks, fighter jets or warships; they rely on small arms and light weapons to carry out their nefarious activities," she observed.
Njeze said the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons has fuelled violent conflicts in Africa, begetting a culture of impunity, militarisation of civilian population, upsurge of criminal activities within and across national borders and the emergence of the phenomenon of child soldier.
Her words: "Easy to carry and simple to use even by a child, small arms have become the most potent instrument of violence used in Africa conflicts undermining the prospects of stability and development in the region."
Meanwhile, mindful of the adverse consequences of the menace of the proliferation of Small Arms in the West African sub-region, the heads of state and government of ECOWAS in 1998 endorsed a moratorium on the importation, exportation and manufacture of small and light weapons to ensure a coordinated fight against the scourge.
The minister observed also, that pursuant to the implementation of the moratorium, member states were required to establish a National Commission / Committee on Small Arms and Light weapons.
In Nigeria, however, a National Committee (NATCOM) was established in 2001 rather than a commission as it was considered expedient to do so at the time.
The ECOWAS moratorium was replaced by a convention in 2006 and with the inception of the convention, it has become mandatory that the National Committee evolved into a full-fledged National Commission with enhanced statutory powers.
In a related development, Njeze has inaugurated the committee for the establishment of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Meanwhile, the chairman of NATCOM, Air Commodore D J Ojotaru, thanked President Yar'Adua for his determination to improve the security of lives and property of Nigerians.
"Most urgent of all the lined-up activities of NATCOM are the issues of ratification of the ECOWAS convention on SALWs, their ammunition and other related materials, transformation of the committee to a commission as required by the convention, fast-tracking the extensive sensitisation programmes, among others," he admonished.
On the issue of ratification, he said the ministry of Justice had been mobilised to prepare the instrument of ratification.
However, the committee's terms of reference are: To propose the mandate and composition of the commission; to recommend a trim structure, organogram and duties of the principal officers of the commission's secretariat; to recommend the legal, legislative and administrative procedures towards setting up the commission, and to make any recommendations incidental to the assignment of the committee.
The committee has three weeks to complete the assignment beginning from the day of inauguration.
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This is just another commission that really does nothing. The Nigerian governments at all levels have not been able to protect individual and yet will not even allow those who could, to protect themselves. One must remember that all attempts to confiscate small arms from individuals will not improve the security of people or property in the country, because the criminals will always get their supplies. Even the well-known people had been killed without anyone knowing who did it. If the government cannot protect public figures in Nigeria, does anyone think that it can protect an average… [Read Full Text]