Nigeria destroys over 16,000 obsolete weapons

Nigeria's National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has successfully destroyed more than 16,000 obsolete, decommissioned, and unserviceable weapons since its inception. This initiative is a key part of the nation's efforts to combat the proliferation of illicit firearms.

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We are pleased to report that the Centre has destroyed over 16,000 obsolete, decommissioned and unserviceable weapons since its inception.

During a visit to the Inspector-General of Police in Abuja, the Director-General of NCCSALW, retired Deputy Inspector-General Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, revealed that the Nigeria Police Force has been a significant partner. The Force supplied 11,907 weapons to the center, comprising 8,438 automatic firearms and 3,489 locally fabricated guns.

Kokumo highlighted that the proliferation of illicit arms remains a major security challenge, fueling terrorism, violent extremism, and other violent crimes. He noted that these weapons often originate from porous borders, diversion from government stockpiles, and illegal local manufacturing, with some locally made firearms becoming increasingly sophisticated.

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Weapons comprised 8,438 automatic firearms and 3,489 locally fabricated guns.

The NCCSALW director-general stressed the importance of stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force in areas such as armoury management, accountability, intelligence sharing, and support for prosecution. Inspector-General Kayode Disu echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the critical role of effective armoury management within the police force to national security. He also called for stricter measures to safeguard weapon storage facilities and for tackling the challenge of locally manufactured firearms through improved intelligence and inter-agency cooperation.

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Weapons comprised 8,438 automatic firearms and 3,489 locally fabricated guns.