By VINCENT UJUMADU
AWKA—THE Anambra State branch of Importers Association of Nigeria and the National Task Force against illegal importation of firearms and ammunition said yesterday that they had intercepted a trailer load of dangerous arms and ammunition in the commercial city of Onitsha.
Briefing newmen, Chairman of the Association, Chief Emma Nwosu, said the weapons had been handed over to the police, explaining that in view of the development, the association was re-strategizing to fight illegal importation of arms and ammunition into the South Eastern states, especially Onitsha.
According to Nwosu, the primary aim of importers and the task force was to ensure that the good image of genuine importers was restored, noting that the importation of contraband goods and dangerous arms and ammunition was denting the image of genuine businessmen.
He said: “We are saddled with the responsibility of restoring the damaged image of genuine importers by the illegal importers who have been importing prohibited goods into the country”.
Nwosu decried the level of insecurity at the country’s borders, urging government to strengthen the importers associations and the task force against illegal importation to tackle the menace through intelligence gathering and proper surveillance on the movement of goods into the country.
Corroborating, Head of Operations of the group, Chief Alex Igwemma, lamented the high rate of insecurity in some parts of the country which he attributed to porous borders and called for active participation of stakeholders to curb the menace.
Igwemma said the association was working with relevant security agencies to arrest the illegal importers of dangerous explosives and other weapons across the country and urged the public to volunteer useful information to relevant agencies.
He added that Onitsha sea port when operational would be under serious security surveillance to check the proliferation of importation of illegal goods and arms and ammunition into the city.
Culled: Vanguard
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