The Federal Government on Thursday destroyed no fewer than 1,316 illegal firearms recovered from terrorists, bandits, and other criminal groups, in what authorities described as a bold step to curb the proliferation of small arms fuelling insecurity across the country.
The weapons were set ablaze and later smelted at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment in Giri, Abuja, under the supervision of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) providing oversight.
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who led the exercise, said the spread of illicit weapons remained a major driver of terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry in Nigeria, stressing that government was determined to dismantle the networks sustaining the trade.
“The proliferation of small arms and light weapons constitutes a huge threat to our national security. It fuels violent conflict, crime, and terrorism within and beyond our borders,” Ribadu said.
“This destruction exercise is a clarion call to reclaim our security space and restore our nation to the path of peace, stability, and development.”
The NSA pointed to the enactment of the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act 2024 and the recent strengthening of the NCCSALW as critical reforms to stem the menace, while urging Nigerians to support security agencies in the fight.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Centre, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Johnson Kokumo, disclosed that the destroyed arms were seized from violent groups and smugglers, noting that some consignments intercepted at Onne Port and Lagos Airport were still undergoing legal processes.
“These weapons were recovered from terrorists, bandits, and other violent groups. Their destruction is a clear message that Nigeria will not allow its security to be undermined by the illegal arms trade,” Kokumo stated.
He added that since the Centre’s establishment in 2021, it had eliminated over 13,230 obsolete, unserviceable, and illicit weapons while building stronger collaborations with security agencies and international partners to combat cross-border arms trafficking.
The event, attended by military chiefs, police authorities, diplomats, and representatives of international organisations, featured a two-stage destruction process—burning followed by smelting—to ensure total decommissioning of the weapons.
Security analysts say the move not only represents a technical operation but also underscores Nigeria’s push to consolidate peace and demonstrate continental leadership in regional stability efforts.
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