The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro, SAN,
has questioned the Federal Government’s approach on the
proliferation of firearms and ammunition in Nigeria.
The number one bar man made this questioning while reacting to
the kidnap of the past Chairman of Auchi Branch of the NBA, Mr. A.A
Atemoagbo, and the murder of his wife by hoodlums along Auchi-Benin
Road, near Ehor, Edo State, in a press statement made available to
TNL.
See statement:
Proliferation of Arms – Insecurity to Lives and
Property
Dear Sir/Ma,
1. Barely a week ago, precisely on Sunday, 04 November 2018,
hoodlums rained bullet shots at the car of the past Chairman of
Auchi Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA”), Mr. A A
Atemoagbo, along Auchi-Benin Road, near Ehor, in Edo State, in an
attempt to halt him. Mr. Atemoagbo survived the attack, albeit with
injuries and greatly traumatized, but not so, his wife, Joan, who
was killed by the assassins’ bullets. Mr. Atemoagbo was returning
from a Convention of the Jehovah’s Witnesses that held in Benin
and, in his Honda CRV car were his wife, their young child and one
other passenger. Mr. Atemoagbo’s car was indeed stopped by the
hoodlums and he was kidnapped and only released days later after
the payment of the specified ransom amount.
2. This very unfortunate and depressing incident which, sadly,
is not isolated, highlights two critical issues, both related to
security of lives and property in our land. First, how come
criminals find it so easy to acquire firearms and ammunition in our
country? What happened to the enforcement of the law prohibiting
unlicensed possession of firearms? How come we’ve not heard of any
crackdown by the security agencies on illegal ownership and/or
possession of firearms or isn’t it obvious that there’s unbridled
ownership and possession of guns by all shades of criminals, giving
rise to the runaway insecurity to lives and property in Nigeria?
How come governments, at the different levels, are not carrying out
consistent and concerted campaigns against illegal ownership and
possession of firearms? Why is there no concerted effort at
stemming this unseemly situation?
3. It needs be mentioned that the proliferation of firearms and
ammunition in Nigeria gives the impression that governments and
their security agencies are very complacent in their approach to
these security and safety challenges. What would it take to wake up
governments at all levels and the security agencies to their
respective responsibilities in this regard? Perhaps, Joan Atemoagbo
would’ve been alive and with us today if governments and their
security agencies had taken their respective responsibilities
seriously and cracked down on proliferation of arms and
ammunitions. It’s not too late to start that crackdown now and we
urge the various governments to do so before another life is
lost.
4. Second and on a related note, we understand that the location
where the Atemoagbos were attacked, along Benin-Auchi Road, close
to Ehor, in Edo State, is notorious for such criminal and deadly
attacks. Indeed, we understand that an Edo State Local Government
Chairman was attacked and killed at that same spot in 2017. Mr.
Atemoagbo also tells us that, while in captivity, he noticed that
the kidnappers’ business was truly booming. Indeed, as he was
entering his captivity, some others were being released from the
den upon the payment of the demanded ransom and he was replacing
them. As he was also being released, after payment of the ransom
amount, some other victims were replacing and taking his place.
5. How come such organized criminal rings and gangs operate
brazenly without hindrance and with such freedom and effrontery?
What happened to the intelligence capabilities of our security
agencies? Have the criminals developed strategies and operating
modus that are seemingly superior to those of our intelligence and
security agencies, thereby making the criminals invincible and,
perhaps, untouchable?
6. We deeply mourn the untimely death of Joan Atemoagbo and
condole with the Atemoagbos and indeed, the executive and members
of our Auchi Branch. We sincerely hope and pray that the gruesome
murder of this innocent woman who was returning from a place of
worship, would not go unpunished. We pray that Joan’s death pricks
the conscience of our various governments and their law enforcement
and security agencies sufficient to galvanize them into actions
that would secure lives and property in the land. In particular, we
call on the security agencies to bring to book the murderers of
Joan Atemoagbo while also rounding up and bringing to justice the
criminal gang(s) of kidnappers and murderers that operate along the
Benin-Auchi Road.
Paul Usoro, SAN President