In a recent report, the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) announced that they destroyed 1,419 illegal weapons and recovered 5,449 firearms across Nigeria. This information was shared by the center's director-general, Johnson Kokumo, during a security briefing in Abuja. The destruction of these weapons took place on July 30 and is part of ongoing efforts to stop illegal arms from reaching criminals who engage in terrorism, kidnapping, and other violent crimes. Since 2022, the NCCSALW has destroyed over 19,000 illegal weapons. The center has also been working with various security agencies to recover more weapons. Recently, they retrieved a large number of outdated and unusable automatic weapons from the police and intercepted additional firearms from customs. Kokumo mentioned that they have arrested 11 suspects connected to the illegal importation of firearms and ammunition, which were found hidden in a shipping container. Some suspects related to the illegal manufacture of weapons have also been arrested. To improve weapons management, the NCCSALW has provided training to security personnel to prevent legally held weapons from being misused. They are also planning a new national survey on small arms to gather updated information on weapons in Nigeria. Kokumo emphasized the importance of public cooperation in sharing information to help combat the spread of illegal weapons. He reassured that the destruction of these weapons aligns with international arms control agreements that Nigeria is part of.
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