NCCSALW to Destroy Over 30,000 Recovered Arms and Ammunition
The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has announced plans to destroy 30,132 recovered, decommissioned, unserviceable, and illicit arms and ammunition by the end of September. Of this total, 3,383 are arms, while 26,749 are various calibres of ammunition, many of which were recovered from government arms-bearing agencies.
Speaking at a workshop in Abuja on gender mainstreaming in preventing arms proliferation, the NCCSALW National Coordinator, DIG Johnson Kokumo (retd.), highlighted the sources of these weapons, which include the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and other agencies like the NDLEA and Customs.
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Kokumo emphasized the critical importance of removing these arms permanently from circulation, noting the destructive consequences of small arms proliferation both nationally and globally. He stressed that the illegal flow of arms fuels violence and instability, with the most severe impacts often felt by women and children.
Kokumo also called for greater involvement of women in disarmament efforts, arguing that gender-sensitive policies are essential for effectively addressing the humanitarian crises caused by armed conflict.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Ibrahim Babani, Director of External Affairs at ONSA, praised President Bola Tinubu’s recent approval of the NCCSALW establishment bill. Ribadu noted that this legislative support would bolster the Centre’s mandate in combating the proliferation of illegal arms.
Source:Punch
https://punchng.com/arms-centre-to-destroy-30000-firerms-ammunition/
