By Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani
The National Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Retired Maj.-Gen. Abba Dikko, has said that the centre would on November 24, destroy over 3000 small arms they recovered.
Addressing the press on Wednesday in kaduna, Dikko said in the centre’s effort to stop proliferation of illicit firearms, they recovered the over 3000 assorted arms from different theatres of operations across Nigeria .
While announcing the plan of the centre to destroy the recovered arms on November 24 in kaduna, Dikko said remarkable achievements had been made in areas of regulating the spread of illicit firearms .
He reiterated determination of the centre in ensuring only authorised persons are in possession of firearms which according to him was the quickest way to ensure lasting peace and sustainable development across Nigeria.
He decried the destructive roles drug abuse played in proliferation of arms in the hands of unauthorized persons who illegally used them to destroy lives and forcing young women into unholy unions against their wish .
” Since the takeoff of the center in may 2021, tremendous achievements have been recorded and landmark progress made.
“We are at the moment under the guidance of the National Security Adviser, before the bill for our establishment is passed into law to fulfil the mandate of ECOWAS charter of 2006 which Nigeria was a signatory nation.
“It mandated member states to establish commission to regulate, acquisition, use and disposal of small and light weapons.
“It is only Nigeria and Ghana where the commission is yet to be given a legal teeth to carry out its function as required.
“For effective administration, we have centres across the six geopolitical zones where our activities are coordinated of ensuring the mopping up of illicit weapons from the society.
“You can attest that our efforts are yielding results, considering the volume of arms recovered in the past 18 months from South South, South East, North Central and North West geopolitical zones of this country”, Dikko said.
He further said the seized arms which would be destroyed, would be assorted, where the useful metals would be given to bl appropriate Government authorities for other useful purposes.
Dikko noted that the comfisticating of the arms would be a sustained to ensure lasting peace in Nigeria by taking away light but destructive weapons from the hands of unauthorised persons.
“It is a collective responsibility and efforts must be sustained , especially by members of the media in this fight against the spread of small arms and light weapons in our society.
“The destruction of this over 3000 firearms would be a continuous occurrence until all nooks and crannies of this beautiful country is certified free of illicit small and light weapons,” he assured.
Dikko also disclosed that local manufacturers of light weapons would be identified and mainstreamed into the military industrial coporation to enable self-reliance.
“Doing this will help fast track capacity in weapons development to reduce important in Nigeria,”he said
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