A total of three thousand, eight hundred and sixty-seven (3,867) different calibres of ceased illicit small arms and light weapons have been destroyed by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The destruction exercise, supervised by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment Giri, in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital, was done by an initial burning process with the smelting of the remnant metal parts of the arms to be carried out subsequently by the Centre.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NCCSALW, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Johnson Kokumo, said the National Centre has in its custody some recovered/captured illicit Small arms and light weapons still undergoing tracing as well as investigations and legal processes.
These, he said, include the illicit weapons smuggled into the Country and intercepted at Onne Port and NAHCO shed at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos by the Nigeria Customs Service.
“These categories of weapons would be destroyed on completion of the proceedings during subsequent routine destruction exercises.”
According to Kokumo, the destruction exercise highlights the dangers of excess, poorly secured illegal weapons, stressing that the destruction is a vital measure to cut down the proliferation and misuse of firearms.