The International Crisis Group has drawn the attention of the FG to the high level of arms smuggling into the country ahead of the elections in February. The International group stated this in November, through a report it titled ‘Nigeria’s dangerous 2015 elections: limiting the violence’.

According to the ICG report, the probability of political violence after the elections is growing with “the continuing influx and wide-scale availability of firearms, ranging from pistols to assault rifles.” The ICG’s report was based on assertions on interviews it conducted between May and June 2014 with a member of the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Mr. Dickson Orji; officers of the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps; and heads of private security companies in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

The ICG said the availability of arms and ammunitions in the country would result to electoral violence especially with the fierce political rivalry going on in the country.

The ICG said, “The Nigeria Customs Service reports that it seized seven times more arms and ammunition in 2013 than it did in 2012 and that in the first half of 2014, it recorded seizures almost daily. “On January 1, 2014, Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, observed that the number of arms entering Nigeria these days is unmatched at any time in history.

You will be shocked at the rate politicians are stockpiling arms. “Security source and local media concur that the surge of arms is linked to preparations for the general elections.” “With mounting tension between the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, particularly in Rivers State, some local politicians are returning to the old practice of arming their supporters to protect them and intimidate their opponents.

”In addition, the ICG said factors that would result to post election violence are already existing communal clashes in communities in the North, Middle-belt and Niger Delta areas. ICG said, “Between January and July 2014, there were over 21 incidents of communal violence in Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau, Zamfara, Taraba, Nasarawa and Benue states, with at least 900 people killed. “Most of the conflicts resulted from rivalries between gunmen suspected to be nomadic Fulani herdsmen and residents of agrarian communities. “In the Niger Delta, insecurity also poses threats to the elections. Armed violence related to political activities is on the rise. “Kidnapping, which ebbed a few years ago, has surged, increasingly targeting government officials, high-profile politicians and their relatives.” The ICG listed Rivers State in the Niger Delta, Kaduna and Kano in the North-Central as states where post election violence is likely to occur.

source:  www.thecallng.com