13,000 illicit weapons destroyed in four years – FG

The Federal Government, through the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, has destroyed more than 13,000 illicit and obsolete firearms in the last four years, in a sustained effort to curb the proliferation of small arms in the country.

The Director-General of NCCSALW, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Kokumo, disclosed this on Thursday at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, Giri, Abuja, during the centre’s fifth arms destruction exercise.

 Kokumo revealed that 1,316 assorted weapons were destroyed at the event, bringing the total number of arms eliminated since 2021 to over 13,230.

“Weapon destruction is now being conducted as a routine exercise by the centre. Its importance in promoting an illicit-arms-free society and enhancing Nigeria’s national security cannot be overemphasised,” he said.

According to him, the exercise was not merely about burning weapons, but a demonstration of transparency and accountability in ensuring that illegal arms never return to circulation.

 “Today, we have gathered to witness the destruction of unserviceable, as well as captured illicit small arms and light weapons, which have been mopped up through kinetic operations conducted by the military and other security agencies. With this exercise, the centre has successfully destroyed over 13,230 illicit, unserviceable and obsolete weapons handed over by the armed forces, police and other arm-bearing security agencies in the last four years,” Kokumo said.

He stressed that the exercise was in line with Nigeria’s obligations to regional and international treaties on arms control.

What we are doing today is not just destroying weapons but also fulfilling our commitments under Article 17 of the ECOWAS Convention on SALW and the United Nations Programme of Action on illicit arms,” he explained.

The NCCSALW boss further highlighted ongoing collaborations with neighbouring countries and development partners to tackle cross-border arms trafficking.

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

The weapons destroyed included seized arms recovered during counter-terrorism and anti-banditry operations, obsolete firearms from the armed forces, and surrendered weapons from law enforcement agencies.

Kokumo reiterated that the centre would sustain the routine destruction of illicit arms to ensure Nigeria’s stability and security.