Presidential Committee on Light Weapons destroys arms, ammunition in Cross River State

Nigeria’s Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons in collaboration with the Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment has destroyed illicit arms and ammunition in Cross River State

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Dr Dickson Orji, who supervised the exercise held at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, said “We flag off the disarmament and destruction of illicit small arms and light weapons in Cross River State. We are destroying over 260 arms and 5,510 ammunition recovered under the civilian disarmament initiative in the State.” 

Orji recalled that the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons was at an inauguration in 2013 mandated to implement the Nigerian component of the ECOWAS – EU small arms project, noting “This is mainly a pilot weapons collection programme within the broader disarmament and community development programme.”

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State commended the Nigerian Government for selecting Cross River to benefit from the implementation of the project.

Ayade attributed the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and West African sub-region to the Libyan civil war and the insurrection in South-West Cameroon.

He asserted, “With the collapse of the Gadaffi regime, young men and women started migrating downwards from North Africa. As the persisted, the option of the use of weapons to secure a means of livelihood became imperative to them.”

“A lot of them migrated to the riverine areas making Cross River a prime target, which accelerated with the Ambazonian conflict. The 33 illegal routes into the State became a veritable source for the harvest of arms,” stated Ayade.

He expressed optimism that with the recovery and destruction of the arms, the people of Cross River would experience greater peace and tranquillity.

Strengthening Efforts

Also speaking at the event, Joel Bisina of LITE -Africa on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS and the European Union, EU said that despite the illegality of the trade, commercial transaction in small arms and light weapons have continued on the rise.

Joel insisted, “The wide availability, stockpile and illicit flows of such weapons tend to escalate conflicts, undermine peace agreements; intensify violence and impact on crime, impede economic and social development; increase poverty, hinder the development of social stability, democracy and good governance”.

He said that the foundation with the support of ECOWAS and the EU was working hard to strengthen efforts at preventing further proliferation and trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

Beneficiary Demographics

Although the ECOWAS – EU small arms project is being implemented in seven African countries such as Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Mali and Nigeria, the Nigerian component focuses on Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara in the north-west as well as Akwa Ibom and Cross River in the south-south.

For Cross River State, the project provides for 3 micro-projects in Boki, Obudu and Bakassi local government areas.

It would be recalled that beginning from December 2018, more than 5,000 repentant militants in Cross River willingly surrendered their arms and ammunition with the hope of receiving an alternative source of livelihood.

The Nigerian component in this pilot phase has concluded plans to provide alternative livelihoods through skills and vocational training to 150 repentant Bakassi militants, who have their biometric data captured.

PIAK