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No fewer than 30,132 recovered decommissioned, unserviceable, and illicit arms and ammunition will be destroyed by the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
A breakdown of the figure shows that a total of 3,383 arms, while 26,749 are various calibres of ammunition, some of which are from arms-bearing agencies of the government.
Disclosing this in Abuja on Tuesday at a workshop on gender mainstreaming in preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and West Africa, the National Coordinator of NCCSALW, DIG Johnson Kokumo (retd.), said the weapons, which come from the Nigerian Army, Police, and other sources, would be destroyed by the end of September.
He said, “In addition to the above, the National Centre has retrieved a total of 3,383 decommissioned, unserviceable, obsolete and illicit small arms and light weapons and 26,749 various calibres of ammunition from the following arms bearing agencies of government; the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and the Nigeria Police Force.
“Others include the Defence Intelligence Agency, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigerian Security & Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Customs Service, amongst others. Later in this quarter, NCCSALW would be conducting an Arms Destruction Exercise which is a critical step in ensuring that recovered arms are permanently removed from circulation.”
Kokumo said the control of small arms and light weapons proliferation was not only a national concern but also a matter of international importance.
He added that the illegal flow of small arms and light weapons had devastating consequences.
Kokumo said, “The control of small arms and light weapons proliferation is not only a national concern but also a matter of international importance.
“The illegal flow of small arms and light weapons has devastating consequences, fuelling violence, instability and insecurity in various parts of the world. As we all know, the most traumatic effects of these crises usually befall women and children. “
Kokumo also called for the involvement of women in disarmament and security policies.
He said, “Gender mainstreaming in Small Arms and Light Weapons control is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic move, as the grave impact of armed conflict on women and children highlights the need for a gender-sensitive approach to disarmament and security policies.”
Speaking, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu said the president’s assent to the bill establishing the National Center for the Control of small arms and light weapons was a major milestone in the government’s commitment to curbing the proliferation of illegal arms.
Represented by the Director of External Affairs, ONSA, Ibrahim Babani said the legislative backing strengthens the centre’s mandate and paves the way for more coordinated and decisive action.
Ribadu also emphasised the need for gender mainstreaming in preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
