7,000 illegal weapons
7,000 illegal weapons destroyed in nigeria-
Panel
The Presidential Committee On Small Arms and Light Weapons
announced that over 7,000 illegal weapons have been destroyed in
Nigeria.
The programme Cordinator, PRESCOM Orji Dickson explained that an
arms destruction exercises conducted in three locations led
to the destruction of over 640 weapons in benue, over 625
weapons in Katsina and 5,970 weapons in Zamfara.
“Collectively we have destroyed close to 7000 weapons across
Nigeria.” he said.
Orji made this known at the opening ceremony of the the
TOT Course on Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM)
Organised by the United Nations Regional Center for Peace and
Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) and the Presidential Committee on
Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM) on monday in abuja.
He noted that the training will enhance the capacity of the
Nigerian Millitary and para millitary in effective stockpile
management to combat proliferation of arms across nigerian
borders.
Orji notes that the ‘staggering” quantity of illegal arms
in circulation in the country was alarming.
“In Nigeria we are worried about the quantity of weapons
crossing the border into the country, in 2016, we conducted a
national survey on all arms and light weapons proliferation in
nigeria and you’ll be amazed at what we discovered at the quantity
of weapons circulating in nigeria, the figures us staggering.”
He therefore tasked state governments to begin disarmament
programmes in their various states to encourage civilian
disarmament, because according to him most weapons that are
illicit are in the hands of civillians and non state actors.
He informed that so far 10 states have indicated interest, which
are ; Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, and Katsina, Akwaibom and
cross river, rivers imo and Benue.
He warned that civilians and non state actors who posses arms
for protection or livelihood are only endangering their lives
further, urging them to voluntarily disarm themselves in exchange
for other alternatives.
He further explained that as means of encouraging civilian
disarmament, PRESCOM in partnership with the ECOWAS EU small arms
project will provide alternative means if livelihood.
He continued: ‘The ECOWAS EU has a component of alternative
livelihood progress well as micro projects for the community, all
those being disarmed we are providing them alternative means of
livelihood and the various communities who agreed to work with us
we give them 3 micro projects
The political affairs officer, UNREC, Rumongi Jean Bosco said
that the TOT was designed to provide security agencies with the
necessary tools mainly operation and administrative standard, to
achieve international standard on stockpile management.
He also assured that UNREC will continue to support Nigeria in
the fight against illicit arms and light wepon.
By PRNigeria