Reps to grill Ali, Daura over illegal arms importation

The House of Representatives has resolved to invite Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali and the Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura for questioning over the recent illegal importation of a large cache of illegal arms into the country.

They will also brief the lawmakers on plans to address the menace of small arms and light weapons in the country.

The resolution, which was made yesterday at the Green Chambers of the National Assembly, was in a bid to curb the influx of small arms and light weapons into the country.

It is coming at a time when the Customs seized 2,671 pump-action rifles smuggled into the country between January and September this year.

One of the members of the House from Anambra State, Obinna Chidoka, who sponsored the motion, said urgent steps must be taken by the Federal Government to curb the trend.

Some of his colleagues Betty Apiafi (River State), Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje (Abia State), and Henry Ofongo (Bayelsa State) supported the motion with their various contributions.

The House further urged the Customs and the DSS, as well as the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, to speed up investigation into the shipment of arms and commence prosecution of the culprits involved.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in the Senate considered the same issue during plenary.

This is just as a bill seeking to provide for the destruction of illegally imported firearms passed a second reading at the Upper House.

The motion was sponsored by Senator Gbolahan Dada of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Ogun State.

Senate President Bukola Saraki also supported the bill after which it was referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary Human Rights and Legal Matters.