Nigeria to boost police arms
2006-08-31 18:45
Abuja - The Nigerian police plan to buy 80 000 new guns to help them cope with violence in the run-up to general elections next April, said Inspector General Sunday Ehindero on Thursday.
Africa's most populous country returned to democracy in 1999 after three decades of almost continuous military dictatorship, but violence remains a feature of political life and many Nigerians fear it will intensify ahead of the polls.
Ehindero said: "The purchase of more bullet-proof vests, helmets, arms and ammunition would enhance the capability of the force to deal effectively with cases of insecurity... during the electioneering period."
The police want 40 000 AK-47 assault rifles, 30 000 K-2 assault rifles, 10 000 Beretta pistols and a total of 32 million rounds of ammunition.
It is not clear how much reassurance the new supplies of guns will provide to the public, given the force's record.
Police are more frequently found mounting illegal roadblocks to extort bribes from motorists than investigating crimes.
Last polls marred by violence
Human rights activists accuse the police of frequent extra judicial killings.
The build-up to the last elections, in 2003, was marred by violence including political assassinations, the use of "guns for hire" by candidates to intimidate opponents or voters, and inter-ethnic violence stoked for political ends.
The 2007 elections should mark the first time in Nigerian history that one elected president hands over power to another, but many Nigerians fear blood will be spilled in the process.
Several political assassinations have already taken place.
In one high-profile case, a candidate to be governor of Lagos state was strangled in his study on July 26.
Prominent suspects released
During the initial outcry about the murder, Ehindero was dispatched to Lagos to lead the investigation and British forensic experts were flown in to assist.
However, the probe does not appear to have made much progress since then and many prominent suspects have been released on bail.
Many disillusioned Nigerians are convinced the case will join a long list of unresolved political assassinations, including the 2001 murder of justice minister Bola Ige.