FG DESTROYS 2,819 ILLEGAL WEAPONS, WARNS ARMS TRAFFICKERS OF CRACKDOWN
Read Time:3 Minute, 36 Second
By; Aina Daniel
The Federal Government on Thursday destroyed 2,819 illicit and decommissioned small arms and light weapons in Abuja, reaffirming its commitment to tackling the proliferation of illegal firearms and warning arms traffickers that recovered weapons would be traced and permanently destroyed.
The exercise, organised by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment in Giri, Abuja, increased the total number of recovered weapons destroyed since the centre’s establishment to about 19,000.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of the NCCSALW, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Kokumo, described the destruction as a deliberate and irreversible step towards strengthening national security.
“We are gathered here today to witness the destruction, by burning and subsequent smelting, of approximately 2,819 small arms and light weapons. These are weapons that were illicitly acquired or have since been decommissioned and rendered unserviceable, and which now stand permanently removed from circulation,” he said.
Kokumo stressed that the exercise was not merely symbolic but a practical measure to prevent the recovered firearms from ever being used in criminal activities.
“Every weapon that goes into these flames today is one that can never again be used to threaten communities, disrupt markets, attack travellers or arm criminal and terrorist groups,” he said.
According to him, the centre has recovered more than 21,000 illicit, obsolete and unserviceable weapons since its establishment, with over 16,000 destroyed before Thursday’s exercise.
“With today’s exercise, the cumulative number of weapons permanently removed from circulation rises to about 19,000. It is a milestone that reflects years of sustained collaboration among security agencies,” he added.
Kokumo identified the proliferation of illegal small arms as a major driver of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, communal violence and farmer-herder clashes across the country.
He said the destruction programme complements the Federal Government’s broader security strategy, which includes military operations, intelligence gathering, border security, community policing and socio-economic interventions in conflict-affected areas.
The NCCSALW boss commended the Nigeria Police Force for contributing the highest number of recovered weapons to the destruction programme, revealing that the force supplied 11,907 automatic and locally fabricated firearms seized during operations nationwide.
He also praised the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies for releasing recovered weapons for destruction.
Issuing a warning to those involved in the illegal arms trade, Kokumo said, “To those who traffic in illicit arms, the weapons you move will, in time, be found and destroyed, never to return to circulation.”
He added that the public destruction exercise demonstrated the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of recovered weapons.
Representing the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, at the event, the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, said the Federal Government remained committed to dismantling illegal arms networks through intelligence-led operations and stronger collaboration among security agencies.
He described the destruction exercise as a significant achievement in Nigeria’s efforts to improve national security.
“Today’s destruction of approximately 2,819 illicit, decommissioned and unserviceable small arms and light weapons, bringing the cumulative number destroyed to about 19,000, reflects sustained institutional commitment to a safer Nigeria,” he said.
Ribadu noted that illicit firearms continue to fuel terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and communal conflicts across the country.
“Every weapon recovered by our security agencies and every weapon destroyed through exercises such as this represents one less threat to Nigerians,” he said.
He warned that merely recovering weapons was not enough, stressing that firearms left in storage without proper accountability could find their way back into criminal hands.
“Public, transparent and verifiable destruction permanently eliminates that risk and guarantees that recovered weapons can never again be used against innocent citizens,” he added.
The NSA also urged Nigerians to support the fight against illegal arms by reporting the unlawful manufacture, possession and trafficking of firearms, while encouraging traditional and religious leaders to promote peace and voluntary disarmament.
The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons was established under the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act, 2024, to coordinate efforts aimed at curbing the illegal circulation of firearms and ensuring recovered weapons are permanently removed from use.
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