FG destroys 2,819 illegal weapons, raises total removed from circulation to 19,000

By Daily Hibiscus News

The Federal Government on Thursday destroyed 2,819 illicit and decommissioned small arms and light weapons in Abuja, bringing the total number of illegal weapons permanently removed from circulation nationwide to about 19,000.

The destruction exercise, carried out by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment in Giri, Abuja, is part of efforts to curb the spread of illegal firearms linked to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

Speaking during the event, the Director-General of the NCCSALW, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Kokumo, described the exercise as a practical step towards strengthening national security rather than a symbolic ceremony.

He said the destroyed weapons were either illegally acquired or had been decommissioned after becoming unserviceable, adding that their destruction ensured they could never be used again to fuel criminal or terrorist activities.

According to Kokumo, the centre has recovered more than 21,000 illicit, obsolete and unserviceable weapons since its establishment. Before Thursday’s exercise, over 16,000 had already been destroyed, with the latest batch increasing the total to about 19,000.

He noted that the widespread availability of illegal small arms continues to drive insecurity across Nigeria, contributing to banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts, farmer-herder clashes and armed robbery.

Kokumo asserted that the weapons destruction programme complements broader government security measures, including military operations, intelligence gathering, border surveillance, community policing and socio-economic interventions in conflict-prone areas.

He commended the Nigeria Police Force for contributing the largest share of recovered weapons destroyed under the programme, revealing that the police supplied 11,907 automatic and locally fabricated firearms seized during operations across the country.

He also praised the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies for releasing confiscated weapons for destruction.

Warning illegal arms traffickers, Kokumo declared that every illicit weapon would eventually be traced, recovered and destroyed, stressing that the transparent process reflects the government’s commitment to accountability in handling seized firearms.

Also speaking, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, represented by the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, said the government would continue dismantling illegal arms networks through intelligence-led operations and stronger collaboration among security agencies.

Ribadu described the destruction of the weapons as a major achievement that demonstrates sustained institutional commitment to improving national security.

He explained that every firearm recovered and permanently destroyed removes a potential threat from society, noting that illegal weapons remain a key enabler of terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence.

The National Security Adviser also warned that recovered weapons must not remain in storage without proper oversight, saying poor accountability could allow them to re-enter criminal circulation through theft or negligence.

He called on Nigerians to support security agencies by reporting illegal arms possession, trafficking and local weapon manufacturing, while urging traditional and religious leaders to encourage peaceful conflict resolution and voluntary disarmament.

Ribadu further warned those involved in the illegal arms trade that every weapon recovered by security agencies would ultimately be destroyed, ensuring it could never again be used to threaten lives or public safety.

The NCCSALW was established under the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act, 2024, to coordinate national efforts aimed at reducing the proliferation of illicit weapons and ensuring that recovered firearms are permanently removed from circulation.