Africa-Press – Nigeria. The National Security Advisor in Nigeria, Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed the destruction of over 19,000 pieces of illegal or decommissioned light and small arms.
This announcement was made during an event organized by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the capital, Abuja, where 2,809 illegal or unusable weapons were destroyed.
Ribadu, speaking on behalf of the Director of the Presidential Amnesty Program, Denis Otwaru, stated that the proliferation of illegal weapons is one of the main factors fueling terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts, and other violent crimes.
He added that the relationship between the spread of illegal weapons and security challenges in Nigeria is “direct and undeniable.”
He explained that every weapon recovered and permanently destroyed represents a threat removed from society, emphasizing that public and transparent destruction operations ensure these weapons do not return to circulation or are used against citizens.
The National Security Advisor noted that the government’s security strategy, under President Bola Tinubu, is based on intelligence-driven operations, enhancing cooperation among security agencies, combating crime financing networks, tightening border controls, and expanding collaboration with international partners.
He stated that controlling and destroying illegal weapons is a fundamental pillar of this strategy, as it reduces the number of weapons available to criminal elements and supports military operations and law enforcement.
He praised the efforts of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, the armed forces, the police, the State Security Service, the Customs Service, and other security agencies that participated in recovering the destroyed weapons.
Ribadu urged citizens, traditional and religious leaders, and local communities to cooperate with security agencies by providing reliable information about the possession, manufacture, trafficking, or smuggling of illegal weapons.
He warned those involved in the manufacture, trafficking, or illegal use of weapons that any illegal weapon seized will be destroyed and will not return to the streets of the country.
The Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Babatunde Kokumo, explained that the centre was established to coordinate the national response to the proliferation of illegal weapons.
He added that the centre’s powers are based on the Small Arms and Light Weapons Control Act of 2024, in addition to Nigeria’s regional and international commitments, including the Economic Community of West African States Convention on Small Arms and the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms.
He revealed that since its establishment, the centre has recovered over 21,000 illegal, obsolete, or decommissioned weapons, with more than 16,000 of them destroyed before the recent operation.
He noted that the destruction of an additional 2,809 weapons raised the total number of weapons permanently removed from circulation to about 19,000.
Kokumo explained that the destruction operation is part of a broader security approach adopted by the federal government, which includes military operations, intelligence gathering, enhancing border security, engaging with local communities, and reducing the spread of illegal weapons.
He commended the Nigerian police, which contributed the largest number of weapons included in the destruction operation, among which were 11,907 automatic firearms and locally made weapons seized during security operations across the country.
He also praised the contributions of the armed forces, the State Security Service, the Customs Service, and other security agencies, as well as development partners supporting efforts to track and safely dispose of illegal weapons.
He affirmed that the destruction operation sends a clear message to arms traffickers that any illegal weapon seized by security agencies will be tracked and permanently removed from circulation.
