Arms control centre takes possession of 3,000 recovered weapons in N/Delta in September 2022. Photo: NCCSALW
The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has called on the public to be wary of illegal security outfits parading themselves as organisations in control of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country.
In a statement, the South-South Zonal Coordinator, retired Major General Ifiok Obot emphasised that NCCSALW was the only Agency of Government with the mandate to combat the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria.
He explained that the Arms control centre came into existence through a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly, recognising the spate of proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and the world at large, which, he attributed to increased cases of kidnapping, armed violence, banditry, terrorism and armed robbery.
Mr Obot also cited the United Nations Programme of Action to prevent, combat and eradicate illicit trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons as well as ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, to which Nigeria is a signatory, as legal instruments for the establishment of the Centre in the country.
”The Centre is saddled with the responsibility of collaborating with relevant stakeholders in monitoring and tracking the movement and stockpiles of illicit arms and weapons. It also monitors the country’s international borders and liaising with international and regional communities on the movement of such items,” he pointed out.
He therefore advised the public to report to the nearest security agency, any person or group in whatever guise and nomenclature, discharging those responsibilities aside the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Reporting by Michael Akpang; Editing by Annabel Nwachukwu