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Tag: illicit arms

  • Fed Govt destroys 1,316 illicit arms

    Fed Govt destroys 1,316 illicit arms

    As parts of the Federal Government’s efforts to control, the proliferation of illegal firearms he National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has destroyed 1,316 illicit arms.

    The illicit arms were destroyed at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, Giri in Abuja, yesterday.

    The event marked the fifth in the destruction by the centre since its establishment in 2021.

    The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who described the arms proliferation as a “monstrous challenge” to national peace and stability. reaffirmed the government’s determination to stamp out the illicit arms proliferation.

    He noted that the Federal Government was resolved to take firm measures, not only by strengthening domestic controls but also by working with international partners to curb illicit arms flows.

    He said: “It has become a major source of vulnerability in our society and stands out as a key driver of violent conflict, crimes and terrorism within and beyond our borders.

    “This event today is a reminder to all Nigerians of our collective responsibility to support the government and, by extension, the security agencies in our fight to defeat criminality, terrorism, banditry and all other forms of behaviours that threaten our national interest.”

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    Ribadu noted that the signing of the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had provided the legal framework for a robust response to the menace. We, as patriotic citizens, must stand up to be counted at this time.

    “Let us trust the government, provide information to our security agencies, and work together to restore our country to the path of peace, security and development,” Ribadu said.

    Director-General (DG) of NCCSALW, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (rtd), said 1,316 assorted weapons were destroyed during the exercise.

    He said: ”With the exercise, NCCSALW has destroyed over 13,230 illicit, obsolete and unserviceable weapons in just four years.”

    Kokomo emphasised that the exercise was in line with Nigeria’s commitment to regional and international conventions, noting that illicit arms destruction was not just about destroying weapons, but “demonstrating our transparency and accountability in ensuring that illicit arms never return to circulation“.

    “This aligns with Article 17 of the ECOWAS Convention on SALW and the United Nations Programme of Action on illicit arms.

    “Beyond ECOWAS, we are engaging Chad and Cameroon to stem the tide of cross-border arms trafficking. These engagements are already yielding results.’’

    The DG expressed gratitude to the Armed Forces and other security agencies for their cooperation.

  • Stakeholders adopt approaches to check proliferation of illicit arms

    Stakeholders adopt approaches to check proliferation of illicit arms

    • Centre destroys over 3,000 weapons, 20,000 ammunition

    Stakeholders across broad spectrum of the society in Cross River State have expressed concern about the proliferation of illicit arms and light weapons by wrong persons and subsequently adopted new approaches to check and control the situation.

    The stakeholders, including market women, traditional and religious leaders, youths’ organisations, media practitioners, civil societies, trade unions as well as security operatives were assembled at a one-day workshop organised by the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, South-South zonal office in Calabar.

    Speaking on the theme of the workshop: ‘Whole society approach in combating the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in Nigeria’, the guest of honour and special adviser to Cross River State Governor on Security, Maj.- Gen. Okoi Obono (Rtd), said the small arms and light weapons in the hands of the wrong persons was one of the ills of the society that needed to be fought with others to free the society.

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    He said: “If there is a fight and you are without a weapon, when you are tired you will stop the fight, but if you have a weapon, you may be charged to fight on. So, we need to free our society of the situation.”

    He said for the state government, a lot of initiatives had been put in place working with the ministries and MDAs by way of their policies in synergy with the Office of the Security Adviser to make sure crime was combated. 

    “Like it’s rightly said, the society also has a role to play in the whole exercise. We have carried out a lot of sensitisation and advocacies in the 18 local governments in the state.”

    Obono said the security agencies relied much on information and tip off that helped to identify hideouts of such arms and weapons in the state, adding that a weapon factory that was unravelled in  Akamkpa Local Government was based on a tip-off.

    The Zonal Coordinator of the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, South-South office, Maj.-Gen. Martins Obot (Rtd.), said the office had retrieved and destroyed over 3,000 weapons of different sizes and shapes, including AK47 rifles, general purpose machine guns, propel granites, locally made single and double barrel guns, some cut to size.

    “We have also retrieved large quantity of ammunition; more than 20,000 so far. We have carried out the destruction exercise and we are sure that other exercises for destruction will take place when due.”

    Guest lecturer, Dr. Ndifon Neji Obi, a sub-dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Calabar, as well as the coordinator of Peace and Conflict Studies at the university, noted that an intervention as done by the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons was very appropriate, “especially now that the Federal Government is trying its best to ensure that conditions are created where negative energies can be redirected to peace resources.”

    He said most conflicts in communities across Nigeria were facilitated by the availability of small arms and light weapons.

    “Bringing stakeholders together to build consciousness is a critical point and an appropriate foundation for ensuring such weapons are laid off in communities, by the communities.”