The Federal Government, through the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), has partnered with the Nigerian Army to combat the spread of illicit arms nationwide.
The collaboration was formalised on Wednesday when the Northeast Zonal Coordinator of NCCSALW, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Adamu (retd), paid a courtesy visit to the General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Nigerian Army Headquarters, Maiduguri.
Adamu stressed the urgency of curbing the circulation of small arms, warning that their proliferation threatens peaceful coexistence and economic stability.
“One of our responsibilities is to prevent the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and enlighten the people. We are a multi-agency department, comprising the Police, Department of State Services, and both retired and serving military officers,” he explained.
He added that the Centre is authorised to receive recovered weapons, destroy them, and prosecute arms traffickers. Adamu emphasised that intelligence sharing and cooperation with the armed forces were critical to success.
The retired general praised the Army for its dedication to safeguarding citizens and pledged stronger collaboration to enhance national security.
Responding, Brig.-Gen. U.V. Unachukwu assured the Centre of the Division’s full support, commending Adamu’s track record and the NCCSALW’s engagement with security agencies, traditional rulers and stakeholders. He maintained that such synergy would help curb illicit arms effectively.