The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, has reiterated that no state governor has the authority to acquire high-caliber weapons for use by quasi-security outfits.
Irabor made this known while reacting to questions in company of the Ministers of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi after the National Security Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
His response came after Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom gave the administration a month to approve his request for an AK-47 licence, after which he would consult with his people on the best course of action.
Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had before questioned why the Kastina security group had been given authorization to possess weapons when other state security groups had not.
While responding, the CDS urged citizens to be weary and always read between the lines when certain requests were sought by governors.
He said the deployment of high calibre weapons such as the AK-47 rifles among others lies strictly within the purview of the Federal government security agencies alone.
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He stated that Nigerian journalists must be able to read between the lines when certain comments are made, to elicit certain reactions, as opposed to the reality with respect to what the security setting is.
General Irabor said AK-47 and “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 is the very common ones, and sometimes even the dane guns some of the hunters use.
“What is involved in the class that mentioned has to do with automatic weapons. There’s no state that has been given licence for that.”
He added that the sole responsibility of licencing lies with the federal government agencies and also to be used by government security agencies and not quasi security forces.
“So, you do not ask for what you do not have power to acquire,” General Irabor stated.
