The Director General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), DIG Johnson Kokumo rtd., has said that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons is key to reducing crimes in the country.
Kokumo disclosed when he paid a working visit to Kaduna, the North West Zonal Office of the NCCSALW.
He said the circulation of small arms and light weapons is fuelling banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, secessionist agitations and other forms of crimes in Nigeria.
According to the DG, there is no community or society in the country that is free of crimes and criminal activities, but the fight against crime is necessary.
Kokumo further explained that the centre had retrieved recovered weapons from almost all the arms bearing agencies in Nigeria, stressing that it is the statutory obligation of the NCCSALW.
“Arms bearing agencies are supposed to hand over recovered weapons to the NCCSALW for documentation, and profiling with a view of even investigating the sources of the weapons before they are eventually destroyed.
“Since I assumed leadership of the centre in March 2024, we have destroyed over 2,400 assorted weapons. These weapons were retrieved from arms bearing agencies,” he said.
The NCCSLW boss therefore implored all stakeholders, especially representatives of all arms bearing agencies, to convey the message that weapons they recovered from criminal elements are not meant for their keep.
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He called on the public to be wary of imposters of illegal activities who parade themselves as those responsible for mopping up of small arms and light weapons in the country under a body, adding that their leader was apprehended and currently in prison remand.
He thanked the government of Kaduna state for all its support to the centre, especially the provision of land for the centre to build its Zonal office.
He also thanked other stakeholders, including religious/traditional leaders and the media, among others for their various support to the centre.
Earlier, the North West Zonal Coordination of the NCCSALW, AVM Haruna Muhammad rtd thanked the DG for his support to the zone.
He said the support had helped the zone to record success in recovering small arms and light weapons within its areas of responsibility.
Highpoints of the meeting was the screen display of activities of the Northwest zone since it commenced operations.
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