New Telegraph

Ayade laments proliferation of arms, ammunition in C’Rivers

The Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has lamented that the conflicts in Libya and that of Ambazonia in Cameroon have fueled crime and criminality in the state, reiterating the determination of his administration to stem the situation.

 

The governor disclosed this in Calabar, the state capital, during the flag-off of the arms destruction exercise in the state.

 

The programme was organised by the European Union/ECOWAS, LITE Africa alongside the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light  Weapons (PRESCOM).

 

The governor, who said that with the collapse of Muamar Gadaffi’s regime, young men and women in Libya started migrating downwards from North Africa, noted: “As this persisted, the choice or option of the use of weapons to secure a means of livelihood became imperative to them.”

 

He added: “Different religions/ethnic colouration of these young men, who became radicalised and militarised took different forms, from Boko Haram to bandits, kidnappers, among others, with social habit and people changed psychologically.

 

“This became accelerated with increased levels of poverty and a lot of them migrated to the riverine areas, with Cross River State becoming a prime target and this became accelerated with the Ambazonia conflict. The 33 illegal routes into the state became a veritable source for the harvest of arms.”

 

He commended the state security outfit, Operation AKPAKWU for its drive to secure the state, even as the governor expressed optimism that with the recovery and destruction of the arms, the people of the state can now sleep in peace.

 

In his remarks on behalf of the ECOWAS-EU, Joel Bisina of LITE-AFRICA said that the proliferation of arms had devastating effects in the country and the entire West Africa Sub-region. He said the programme was aimed at addressing the peace and security challenges of West Africa.

 

“One cannot underestimate the dangers of illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons, as well as the negative impacts they have on the peace and stability of our community. In Nigeria, the commercial transaction in small arms and light weapons has been on the increase since the end of the civil war.

 

” L I T E – A f r i c a , PRESCOM with the support of EU/ECOWAS is working to strengthen efforts at preventing proliferation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria,” Ayade said.

 

About 260 arms and 5510 ammunition were recovered and scheduled to be destroyed as part of the programme.

 

The Nigerian component of ECOWAS-EU under the current pilot phase focuses on seven states of Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara in the North-West region, while the South-South has Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.

 

As part of the programme, about 150 repentant militants from the state will benefit from the Alternative Livelihood Project of the Programme.

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