Insurgency: Fight against proliferation of small arms, light weapons move to North Central
By Kingsley Chukwuka
In a move towards enhancing national security, especially as insurgency bites harder in the North-Central region, the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), under the purview of the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), has set up a newly completed office in Minna Niger State, to intensify the fight against the rapid increase of arms in the hands of non-state actors.
The Director General (DG), NCCSALW, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (RTD), said it has become imperative to take the war against proliferation of weapons closer to the people.
Kokumo stated this in Minna on Wednesday, during the commissioning of the North Central zonal office Complex of NCCSALW.
“Today’s commissioning represents a critical step in our operational strategy to bring the fight against illicit arms closer to the people”, the DG said in his welcome address.
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Reiterating commitment towards combating the menace, Kokumo added that the North Central Zone, comprising Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau States and the Federal Capital Territory, has been particularly vulnerable to security challenges exacerbated by the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons.
“This new zonal office will serve as a strategic coordination hub for our operations in the North Central region, a centre for intelligence gathering and analysis, a platform for enhanced inter-agency collaboration and a base for community engagement and awareness programs.
“I urge you to see this office as your own. The fight against illicit arms requires community ownership. We count on you to provide timely information and support our operations.”, the DG said while encouraging the host community to embrace the centre now in their domain.
Kokumo lauded the National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu for his visionary leadership and consistent support, saying that his guidance has advanced the mandate of the Agency.
“Today’s achievement is a testament to your unwavering commitment to national security”, he said.
The Agency boss called on the public to renew their collective commitment to making Nigeria safer by stemming the tide of illicit arms.
“With this new facility and the continued support of all stakeholders, I am confident that we will record greater successes in our mandate”, he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Governor of Niger State, Umaru Bago described the effort as a milestone achievement under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Bago said the establishment is apt as it will help in addressing the incessant banditry hitherto embarrassing the North-Central region, adding that he will champion the establishment of State offices of the NCCSALW, in the Zone.
He advocated the collaboration of the office of the National Security Adviser to create the North Central Security Committee, where peculiar issues of the region would be discussed with the view to addressing them.
“I call for a partnership with the office of the Security Adviser to cultivate the ungoverned spaces in the State to boost the Federal and State government agricultural policies on food security”, he said.
