Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) yesterday raised the alarm over alleged importation of weaponised drones into the country, purportedly meant for the Kaduna State government.
While urging the Federal Government to investigate the incident, it canvassed suspension of the Commander of National Air Defense Corps (NADC) Ikeja, Lagos, Commodore U.K. Abdullahi, over his alleged connivance.
A report titled, “Weaponised Drone Intercepted by Military Intelligence at Lagos Airport as Commander Receives Order To Release Suspect,” had hinted that personnel of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, arrested a man who was in possession of two weaponised drones.
The incident happened on January 28, 2020 at about 5:00pm while DMI officers at the cargo section discovered a suspicious package concealed in cartons.
Upon opening the cartons, the officers discovered parts of two highly weaponised drones and the supervisor told the man that brought it into the country to go and report the following day.
Investigation revealed that the following day the man was asked to write a statement after which he was detained.
Upon interrogation at the National Air Defense Corps, Ikeja, the suspect claimed to be working for the Kaduna State Government.
Further investigation revealed that Commander of NADC, Air commodore U.K Abdullah, later received a call from some unknown persons, who ordered him to release the man and drones.
Abdullah, it was gathered, later released the suspect and drones on January 30, 2020. ”
This should be the kind of stuff Gen T. Y Danjuma said would not make us sleep if he should open his mouth if this is true.
How on earth would security agents allow Weaponised Drones allegedly meant for Kaduna State to go into the system in a country raising a fuss over an attempt by other states to employ guards without even guns?
As far as we know Weaponised Drones can only come into a country with the approval of the President and the end-user must be the country’s armed forces.
Indeed the manufacturer would follow the equipment until it gets to the end-user as it is more or less a lethal weapon of destruction.
How did these types of equipment get into Nigeria and the hands of an individual if the story happens to be true?
Whose call would the Commander allegedly receive to release the weapons and the suspect?
How many of such dangerous weapons could have been brought into the system illegally by unscrupulous people with the lives of Nigerians in danger? This Is Frightening.
Our Demands
1 We call on President Buhari to immediately order the suspension of Commodore U K Abdullahi and contain his movement while a Judicial Commission of Inquiry is set up immediately.
2 A UN-supervised mop-up of Nigeria for weapons of mass destruction and other illegal arms that some people may be stockpiling for a possible genocide.
*Yinka Odumakin*
*South West*
*Gen. Cru Ihekire*
*South East*
*Senator Bassey Henshaw*
*South-South*
*Dr. Isuwa Dogo*
*Middle Belt*