Many of the illicit weapons currently used by terrorists and bandits originally belonged to the Federal Government, according to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Ribadu spoke at 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.
The NSA said these weapons fell into the wrong hands due to corrupt elements within the security agencies.
He, however, said the country is capable of handling its security concerns.
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.”
The NSA said the federal government remains committed to providing support to the centre to ensure the safety of every Nigerian.
According to him, by destroying unserviceable, obsolete and recovered arms, 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 the arms destruction exercise was the third in a series since the centre was established and the first since his assumption of command.
Mr Kokumo, a retired deputy inspector general of police, said the challenge posed by the proliferation of SALW was one of the major threats to peace and security in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
He said the exercise would witness the destruction of over 2,400 illicit weapons, comprising a mix of unserviceable, decommissioned and recovered arms.
“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.
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