Beware! ...Handset gun out

Beware!!!
The handset being used by the man sitting next to you in the bus may be a weapon of destruction – gun.
The invention of the mobile gun phone is already causing some ripples in the security circle, because of its propensity to increase crime rate such as armed robbery and murder/assassination.

The gun phone was discovered recently by the Italian Police Force.

The mobile phone was said to have been seized in an operation against the Camorra, the Naples-based mafia. It is described as a .22 calibre weapon, which is capable of firing four shots in quick succession through the antenna, using buttons on the keypad as the trigger.
What is the implication of this deadly product to Nigeria and Nigerians? This is against the backdrop of Nigerians’ taste for ostentatious products and flamboyant life style.Another major source of worry is the increasing crime wave in the country, ranging from armed robbery, kidnappings, assassinations, political thuggery, among others.

Some people said if the Federal Government doesn’t take steps to prevent the importation of the killer-phone, the country is going to witness crime explosion. Those spoken to by Daily Sun are, however, pessimistic about the ability of the government to stop the deadly phone from finding its way into the country.

Their reasons are as follows; Nigeria, being a large market and target of foreign investors and manufacturers, the producers of the gun would like to target Nigerian market. Second, like car manufacturers, who target Nigerian market for sale of very expensive and posh cars, the manufacturers of the killer-phone would like to penetrate Nigerian market because of high taste of its citizens, for expensive products.



Third, the increase in crime wave is another reason the government should be concerned about the gun phone.

Fourth, the porous nature of Nigerian borders and the corruption among the security agencies, especially, the Nigerian Customs, which was supposed to check the importation and exportation of goods into or out of the country. Products that were banned in the country, including arms and ammunition still find their way into the country on daily basis, because of corrupt securitymen who make fortunes from importers and allow any manner of product to come into the country.

Recently, the Cross River State Police Commissioner, Mallam Mohammed Bala, alerted members of the public on the presence of the gun phone in the country. There is allegation that some of the militants already have gun phone in their possession.Bala Ahmed told Daily Sun in his office that intelligence reports have revealed that the deadly phone were manufactured in America and some countries in Europe.The Police Commissioner said the European law enforcement agencies, had condemned Global System Mobile phone manufacturers for inventing the decoy, which he said, security operatives were still battling to stop its production and distribution.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Cross River State Police Command, Mr. Etim Dickson, who took his turn to comment on the phone, said there was need for members of the public to be vigilant, in order to report any person found with the phone in Nigeria, to the nearest police station or any other security agency.Worried about the situation, Mr. Dickson said the Nigeria Police had already taken steps to check the distribution of the phones in the country, as security activities were said to have been beefed up at various airports, sea ports and other entry points, to screen every mobile phone that may be imported into the country.

According to the police image maker, the keypad of the phone has digits number 5 to 8 as the trigger, with high destructive power.At first sight, he said, the gun appeared to be like normal cell phone, but has extra weight when handled, explaining that the weapon has an in-built bullet magazine.He said: “We want to draw the attention of members of the public to the existence of the mobile phone gun that is now being sold to armed robbers and other men of the under world. We are calling on members of the public to cooperate with the police in our stop-and-search operations at various checkpoints, in order to fish out those who may have acquired the deadly weapon.”He said another feature of the phones was, short barrels, which appeared like camera, phone lens, as well as short antenna, which was said to be one of the components of the gun.

Mr. Charles Fakrogha, who also spoke with Daily Sun, however, said the gun phone would be useful to security operatives. He said if allowed to be imported into the country, its use should be restricted to the security agents. He said even if government wants to allow people to have access to the gun, it should be given to those who have licence.“Allowing such product into the country now is like making mess of the amnesty programme.

The Customs should take full charge to prevent the item from getting into wrong hands.Also Pius Agbamukoro said it would be dangerous to allow such phone to get into the country. “Why will they tell militants in the Niger Delta to lay down their arms and still encourage the importation of such items,” he queried.To Chidi Chukwudubem, government should not give the product any chance to be imported into the country.