AK-47 Purchase: CDS Irabor Sends Strong Warning to 2 Prominent Nigerian Governors
- No state government in Nigeria has the power or right to procure live ammunition for its security outfit
- This position was made clear on Friday, October 14, by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Lucky Irabor who spoke on the call for the purchase of AK-47s by some governors
- Those championing this course are Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state and his Benue counterpart, Samuel Ortom
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Abuja - On the need for the procurement of live ammunition to protect citizens against attack from insurgents, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Lucky Irabor on Friday, October 14, stated that only the federal government agencies can approve the purchase of arms.
CDS Irabor during his interview with journalists on Friday after the National Security Council meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja made it clear that no state has the power to procure automatic weapons for its security outfits, The Cable reports.
Source: Twitter
The service chief's remarks came on the heels of calls by Governors Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) for the procurement of AK-47s for state security outfits.
In his press interview, Irabor said:
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“Firearms fall into two major categories. You have the automatic weapons and the ones that we may classify as non-automatic weapons, which some of you may even have if you have the appropriate licences — talking about the pump action which are the very common ones, and sometimes even the dane guns some of the hunters use.
“What is involved in the class mentioned has to do with automatic weapons. There’s no state that has been given licence for that.
“So, you do not ask for what you do not have power to acquire.”
Insecurity: Who gave Katsina vigilantes AK-47? Akeredolu asks presidency, draws battleline
Akeredolu had given his take on the presidency's refusal to approve the use of sophisticated weapons for the Amotekun corps in the state.
In a statement released on Wednesday, September 28, by the state government, Akeredolu noted that in the face of worsening insecurity across Nigeria, security outfits must be allowed to carry live ammunition to challenge bandits who inflict pain on innocent citizens.
Governor Akeredolu made it clear that the presidency's reluctance to permit the use of arms “can no longer be plausible in the face of increasing security challenges being faced by the people”.
Source: Legit.ng
