Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Al-Kanem has raised concern over the proliferation of small and light arms through international sources in the Northeast.
The monarch, who handed the warning while receiving the Coordinator, National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Mr. S.A Mohammed said, if not tackled, it will retard the relative peace being enjoyed recently in the zone.
He explained that the Northeast shares international borders with three countries that have experienced a lot of armed conflicts in recent years, which has contributed to the smuggling of SALWs into the zone.
Shehu said the consequences of the light arms and weapons were prolonging conflicts in Nigeria, with negative impacts on peace efforts and socioeconomic development.
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“Therefore, the Northeast zonal centre should not be deterred in the task ahead, and we assure your team our unalloyed support in this task,” he said.
He also assured that the traditional rulers under him that include 59 district heads, 591 village heads and 7,000 ward heads will all render their support in areas of advocacy/ recovery of illicit SALW from the society. Earlier, the coordinator highlighted the importance of traditional institutions as a critical stakeholder in public awareness in the framework of promotion of the culture of peace and non violence, which is one of the core functions of the National Centre.
He also informed that the zonal centre will be interacting with the traditional institution in the area of advocacy periodically.
He appreciated the support rendered by the royal father and his emirate, which has led to successes recorded in the operations against terrorists and solicited for the same support for the zonal centre in the state and the Northeast in general.
