FG urged to beef up security at nation’s borders to curb arms smuggling

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•Commends Customs, Babandede on achievements

Emma Sunday, Port Harcourt

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Belburge International Limited (Custom Bonded Terminal/Warehouse), Port Harcourt, Ambassador (Dr) Nwagbo Eberechukwu Barnabas has called on the federal government to put tighter security measures in place at the border posts to curb smuggling of arms and other prohibited goods into the country.

The call followed the interception of cache of arms comprising 844 riffles and 112,500 rounds of ammunition, and over eleven 40 feets containers loaded with banned Codeine drugs at the Onne Sea Port in Rivers State, by the Nigeria Customs Services, Area II Command Onne, led by the Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede on the 1st and 25 July, 2024 respectively.

Ambassador Barnabas, who is also the MD/CEO of Roseluxe Hotels Limited, Port Harcourt, who made the call while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt said the surging cases of smuggling arms and ammunitions into the country is a wake up call to the Federal Government especially the security agencies to improve security at the nation’s border posts.

The Young CEO while noting that such illegal imports into the country, if not given serious attention by the government, could threaten national security and public safety, said the development has already raised fresh security concerns in the country and has increased fears among Nigerians. He urged the federal government not to sleep over it.

“This is a wake up call to the Federal Government to strengthen security at the nation’s borders. More measures should be put in place through the security agencies or required institutions like the Customs to tackle the influx of unauthorized arms and ammunitions into the country. If this is allowed to continue, I don’t know what will happen to the security of this nation, because it is already raising security concerns and fears among citizens.”

Ambassador Dr Nwagbo Barnabas however, commended the Nigeria Customs Services, especially the Area II Command, Onne for their proactive results in impounding dangerous weapons, and other achievements recorded in the past few months.

He encouraged them not to rest on their oars in fighting crime. “I want to encourage them to continue with whatever strategy they used in intercepting this dangerous arms and illicit drugs that was smuggled into the country.

“I want to sincerely commend the Controller of Onne See Port, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede, he has been so proactive, he has so excellent since his arrival in April, and has recorded lots of achievements.

“But this latest achievements which is the interception of about 844 assorted arms and not less than 112,500 ammunitions, and cartons of illicit drugs being smuggled into the country through Onne Port is exceptional, it is very impressive.

“I commend them a lot. I encourage them to keep doing what they are doing. More of this kind of interception will curb crime and criminality in the country. Because we cannot imagine having this type of arms and ammunitions getting into the hands of these criminals in the country, group of persons or any unauthorized users.”