The Nigerian navy has distanced itself from the allegation
that Chadian soldiers engage in the illicit trade of small arms.
The navy was reacting to the submission made by Jemila Sadiq
Abubakar, a commodore, when she appeared before the house of representatives
committee on national security and intelligence on Monday.
Abubakar, who represented Awwal Gambo, chief of naval staff,
had said some neighbouring countries do not have armouries, making it difficult
for Nigeria to fight arms proliferation.
She said the lack of armouries in the neighbouring countries
makes arms available to their security operatives who in turn sell them off
when they are “broke”.
“They do not have
armoury. So most of their arms that are being donated by — I don’t want to be
specific — the developed countries in the name of assisting us are compounding
our problems in Nigeria because you find out that each average Chadian soldier has
20 to 30 arms underneath his bed. When he is broke, he brings it out and sells
it for $30, $20. I am here, I am standing here, and I am saying it,” Abubakar
had said.
In a disclaimer issued on Tuesday, Suleman Dahun, naval
spokesman, said the officer made “unauthorised, personal comment”.
“The house of Representative Committee on National Security
and Intelligence yesterday 27 September 2021 held a public hearing on 4 Bills,
including the Bill for an Act to Establish the National Commission Against Proliferation
of Small Arms and Light Weapons (HB 10),” the statement reads.
“During the hearing
on this Bill, the representative of the Nigerian Navy (NN) duly presented the
position of the Service on the proposed Act but went ahead to make some
unauthorized, personal comments on the issue of trans-national trafficking of
small arms and light weapons.
“This is as it relates to neighbours with which Nigeria
maintains robust diplomatic security relationships/collaborations; a personal
opinion that is at variance with the position of the NN. The NN wishes to
categorically dissociate itself from the view of the senior officer.
“The NN appreciates the indelible contributions of our
regional partners/neighbours in the fight against small arms and light weapons
trafficking.
“Pertinently, effective and sustained regional cooperation
towards ensuring maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea is a key priority of
the NN.
“Against this
background, the Service acknowledges the regional security efforts of our
neighbouring countries within the existing frameworks of bilateral and
multilateral cooperations and commits to working assiduously to strengthening
these arrangements.”
Military sources have disclosed that the commodore may
face sanctions for making the unauthorised comment.
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