Some of the weapons currently being used by terrorists and bandits were owned by the Federal Government, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu has said.
Ribadu made the revelation during the Arms Destruction Exercise organised by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), on Thursday in Abuja.
According to the NSA, some corrupt elements within the security agencies supplied these weapons to the terrorists and bandits, adding that Nigeria can handle its security challenges.
Ribadu said: “We have to find a way of putting a stop to this. We must, if we want to recover our country and live in peace and stability.
“The worst human being is a policeman or a soldier who will take arms from his own formations and sell it or hide it out for the bad people to come and kill his own colleagues.
“We must fight these people, but also there are merchants of death and evil from outside the world. The proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons remains a major threat to our national security, exacerbating issues such as insurgency, banditry and other violent crimes.”
He said the FG remains committed to providing support to the centre to ensure the safety of every Nigerian.
By destroying unserviceable, obsolete and recovered arms, Ribadu said ‘we are demonstrating our commitment to a secure future for all Nigerians.
“All illicit arms, not only unserviceable, all illicit. Any weapon that is taken is out there that is through an illegal process.”
“We have laws that govern ownership of small arms. If you do not follow it, it is an illegal arm and it is supposed to be destroyed completely,” he added.
Director-General of NCCSALW, Johnson Kokumo, said this was the third
Destruction of weapons in a series since the centre was established and the first since his assumption of command.
According to the former Deputy Inspector General of Police, the proliferation of SALW was one of the major threats to peace and security in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
He said therr would be over 2,400 illicit weapons, comprising a mix of unserviceable, decommissioned and recovered arms to be destroyed.
“These weapons have been mopped up by the military, police and other security agencies across the country.”
“By permanently removing these arms from circulation, we reduce the risk they pose to our communities and send a clear message that Nigeria will not tolerate the illegal trafficking and possession of small arms and light weapons.
“It is also important to state that the National Centre has in its custody some recovered/captured illicit SALW still undergoing tracing as well as investigations and legal processes.
“These include the illicit weapons handed over to the centre by the Nigeria Customs Service. These categories of weapons would be destroyed on completion of the proceedings during subsequent routine destruction exercises,” he said.
