Ondo South Senator, Jimoh Ibrahim, states that there are over 277 guns and other weapons within a 1,000-meter radius of the National Assembly as of Wednesday.
He made this revelation while discussing a motion on the recent suicide attacks in Gwoza, Borno State, which resulted in the deaths of 36 people.
The motion was brought forward by Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South.
Ibrahim expressed concern over the resurgence of suicide bombings, noting that the attack in Gwoza on June 29, 2024, has shocked the nation. He warned that living with insecurity is becoming the norm and emphasized the need for modern technology in combating insecurity.
“We cannot allow this trend to continue due to the danger it poses. It costs nothing for the Army to equip their phones to identify the locations of these criminals.
“As I stand here, I regularly check my phone and know the number of guns near me. Within less than 1,000 installations around us, there are over 277 guns.
“What am I saying? We can utilize technology, just as Senator Ndume suggested,” he said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in a lighter tone, asked Ibrahim, “Prof, with your PhD in warfare, of the 277 guns around you here at the National Assembly, how many do you think have bullets?”
Ibrahim responded, “Mr. Senate President, we can do a probability assessment. If there are 277 guns within a kilometer radius, it is likely that half are loaded, which is dangerous.
“We must determine the source of these guns. Knowing that many are close to us and the Villa means we understand our safety better. The military should abandon conventional strategies for unconventional methods to fight the insurgency in Nigeria.
“Boko Haram represents an unconventional war. We must adapt. We cannot ignore the situation, as seen in Kenya. We need to wake up. I suggest that this Senate, under your leadership, should hold a closed-door session to discuss security matters for an entire day.
“Our lives are crucial. The existence of man should not be short, brutish, and unproductive if we ignore insecurity. Living with insecurity cannot be the only way to understand security.”
