Commodore Jamila Malafa, a naval officer, yesterday, relived how soldiers deployed for the anti-insurgency fight in the North East sell arms to make money. She also accused Western nations of fueling terrorism in the region.
In Malafa’s estimation, the quantity of ammunition supplied to Nigeria as aid for counter-terrorism was a “deliberate act to worsen the situation, as soldiers, who become financially broke sell the arms at their disposal cheaply to survive.”
Speaking at the public hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence in Abuja, in consideration of four bills proposed for tackling insecurity in the country, the naval official accused foreign nations of sustaining terrorism in Nigeria.
Stating that she has spent a long time in the troubled zone fighting the Boko Haram sect, Malafa insisted: “The foreign nations supplying arms to this country to fight insurgency are not sincere. They make these arms available in excess to the soldiers fighting this war. One soldier sleeps on over 30 ammunitions, and anytime he is broke, he brings them out and sells between $20 and $30.”
“Besides, she suggested the building of a wall on Nigeria’s borders with its neighbors in the region as a measure towards stopping the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.”
According to Jamila, Nigeria’s neighbors’ lack of armories is sustaining insecurity in Nigeria.
The House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, who declared the event open, clarified that two of the bills were referred by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Therefore, these bills are a priority for the House of Representatives. We will consider them thoroughly and with due haste. And we will engage with stakeholders and citizens alike to make sure that these bills in their final form serve their purpose,” he added.
Gbajabiamila welcomed submissions from security agencies and other stakeholders, just as he underscored the fact that security “is about everyone and not the security agencies alone.”
