By Huldah Shado
The Federal Government on Thursday destroyed 1,316 assorted illicit firearms in Abuja as part of efforts to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons across Nigeria.
The exercise, organized by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), is the fifth since the center’s establishment. Director-General of NCCSALW, Johnson Kokumo, described the destruction as a significant step in preventing obsolete and unserviceable arms from re-entering circulation.
Kokumo said the initiative reflects government’s transparency and accountability, assuring Nigerians that the recovered weapons will not find their way back into society.
He revealed that the center has destroyed more than 13,230 illicit and unserviceable arms in the last four years.
He added that the exercise aligns with Nigeria’s international commitments, including the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms.
According to him, the campaign underscores Nigeria’s determination to meet global security standards and curb the spread of illegal weapons, which often fuel insecurity.
The destruction, he noted, is part of a nationwide effort to reassure Nigerians of government’s commitment to their safety.
