Nigeria must strengthen control of illicit arms influx to defeat terrorism, National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu said yesterday.
He spoke during the destruction of 3,867 small arms and light weapons (SALW) by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) in Abuja.
The exercise was the fourth by the centre, which is in the Office of the NSA, since its establishment in 2021.
Represented by the Special Adviser on Governance and Subnational Liaison, Asishana Okauru, Ribadu said the proliferation of SALW constitutes a huge threat to national security and has become a key driver of violent conflict, crimes and terrorism.
According to the NSA, the failure of the global community to effectively control the availability of illicit SALW has continued to undermine global peace and significantly hinder development, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
“We recognise the complexity of the challenges of controlling the proliferation of SALW in Nigeria and the requirement for concerted action amongst the government, international community and all well-meaning civil society organisations.
“We are resolved to galvanise our strengths and unity as a nation to confront these monstrous challenges, and I am optimistic that we shall surmount them.”
Ribadu said the signing of the Small Arms and Light Weapons Act 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to tackling illicit arms.
“I am sure that given the time and the necessary support, the National Centre will successfully deliver on its mandate of significantly eradicating illicit SALW from our society,” Ribadu said.
Director-General of NCCSALW, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Johnson Kokumo, said the arms destruction exercise was the fourth in a series of what had now become routine in the centre’s illicit weapons reduction strategy.
He said: “The national centre has in its custody some recovered/captured illicit SALW still undergoing tracing as well as investigations and legal processes.
“These include the illicit weapons smuggled into the country and intercepted at Onne Port and NAHCO shed at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos by the Nigeria Customs Service.
“These categories of weapons would be destroyed on completion of the proceedings during subsequent routine destruction exercises.”