More than 2,800 illicit firearms have been destroyed in Abuja as the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSLAW) intensified efforts to curb the spread of illegal weapons across Nigeria.
The high-profile exercise, the fifth of its kind, brought together top security officials, representatives of service chiefs, heads of government agencies, ECOWAS delegates, civil society actors, corps members, and the media.
Addressing participants, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, described the proliferation of small arms as a major driver of insecurity, saying “the spread of illicit small arms and light weapons remains a serious threat to national stability, fueling violent crimes, terrorism, and insecurity”.
Represented by Maj.-Gen. Hillary Mabeokwu, Director of Defence Affairs at the Office of the NSA, he added that “the federal government is determined to confront the complex challenges of controlling the flow of illicit firearms”.
Ribadu noted that the centre, established in 2021, was created to provide a coordinated response to the challenge, stating that “it provides a structural framework to tackle national security threats in line with international protocols, including Article 24 of the ECOWAS Convention”.
He also highlighted the significance of the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act 2024, signed by President Bola Tinubu, noting that “this Act provides the legal foundation for the centre to discharge its mandate more robustly and effectively”.
In his remarks, Director General of NCCSLAW, retired DIG Johnson Kokumo, said the exercise demonstrates the agency’s commitment to reducing the proliferation of illegal arms and enhancing regional peace.
He disclosed that over 16,000 illicit, decommissioned, and obsolete weapons have been destroyed since the centre’s inception, with 2,800 firearms eliminated in the latest exercise, adding that “the weapons destroyed, which include locally fabricated arms, were recovered from police commands nationwide, as well as from military and other security agencies”.
Kokumo stressed that the exercise aligns with international standards, saying, “this underscores our adherence to global frameworks, including the ECOWAS Convention and the United Nations Programme of Action to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms”.
He called on Nigerians to support security agencies with timely information, noting that public cooperation remains essential to achieving lasting peace and security.
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