The West Africa Network on Small Arms (WAANSA Nigeria) has suspended its former president Mr. Dickson Orji.

This was contained in a press release issued in Abuja, signed by its President Jephthah Asimole and Secretary, Tosin Aluko, addressed to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and copied to the Vice President, the military, police, state security services, EFCC and the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM).

In the statement, WAANSA informed the President that Dickson Orji was suspended by the organisation after usurping the organisation’s constitutional provisions and on grounds of financial misconduct and non-performance, which is in contravention of section 15, sub-section 1&2 of WAANSA Nigeria constitution.

The statement further informed the President that Dickson Orji’s candidature as the civil society (CSO) focal person in the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM) has been withdrawn by the organisation. It also said that he has been also suspended from taking part in all WAANSA activities, both in Nigeria and at the sub-regional level.

The release also said that the resolution to suspend him was part of the decisions taken at an emergency general assembly held at Abuja on the 4th of June, 2018. “It must be noted that WAANSA Nigeria held a general assembly election in April 2018, during which a new set of executives were elected, which the sub-regional body of WAANSA, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Nigeria government officials witnessed and endorsed,” the statement noted

It further advised its partners in Nigeria, sub-regional bodies, government agencies, mostly the presidential committee on small arms and light weapons and the general public not to relate with him as a representative of WAANSA Nigeria.

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