From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Nigeria (NCCSALW), South East zone, has vowed to tackle the proliferation of illicit arms in the zone.
The South East Zonal Coordinator of the centre, Maj-Gen Okechukwu Ugo (retd), made this known during a one-day stakeholders seminar in Enugu on Thursday.
Ugo disclosed that the Centre has recovered and destroyed 6,000 illicit and obsolete small arms and light weapons from various areas in the country.
He said that the recovery of the weapons has helped in ensuring that such arms do not get into the wrong hands, adding that they have been doing all they could to see that the nation is freed from illicit arms
“As of today, the Centre has recovered and destroyed over 6,000 illicit and obsolete SALW from various security agencies and operational theatres around the country.
“These recoveries and destruction exercises, which are in line with UN conventions have contributed immensely to prevent the recycling of these illicit arms back into our society, thereby enhancing safety and security in Nigeria and globally.
“The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, realising the need for sub-regional, regional and global partnerships in this fight against the menace of illicit arms, has engaged and continues to engage various international stakeholders in the field.
“For instance, the Centre recently hosted representatives of all countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission to a two-day conference in Abuja to fashion out ways of sharing intelligence to ensure that cross-border trafficking and illicit trade of SALW are checked.
“The Centre also participates in various regional and global fora on SALW under the auspices of ECOWAS, AU and UN regularly to ensure that Nigeria conforms to global best practices in this regard,” the Zonal Coordinator disclosed.
He said that the Southeast zonal centre of the centre has been giving support to the headquarters of the Centre to achieve the objective of ridding the nation of illicit arms.
“The Southeast Zonal Office, which I am privileged to be its pioneer Zonal Coordinator, has continued to support the National Headquarters to achieve the overall vision, mission and objectives of the Centre.
“The South East Zonal Office has been carrying out necessary awareness campaigns via radio and television jingles as well as engagements with critical stakeholders from different segments of the society,” he said.
On his part, the General Officer Commanding the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Gen Hassan Dada, represented by the Garrison Commander, Gen MM Abu said that it was important that weapons are not left in the hands of unauthorised persons.
According to Dada, all hands should be on deck to recover small arms and light weapons from society, noting that if this could not be achieved, every Nigerian should be armed to protect himself as is done in the US.
In his contribution, Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, represented by Onyeamu Akame, while expressing dismay at the proliferation of illicit arms in the country, cautioned that the political class should desist from arming the youths to execute elections.
Uzuegbu lamented that when political thugs are armed, it would be difficult to retrieve such weapons from them, adding that politicians should be discouraged from arming youths because it will be difficult to retrieve such arms from them.