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Security experts, including serving and ex-military chiefs, yesterday attributed the soaring violent conflicts and crimes to the proliferation of arms by non-state actors.
The experts under the aegis of the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons ( NCCSALW) said the dangerous arms in the hands of unscrupulous elements constituted a threat to national security, reports The Nation.
Also yesterday, officers of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) have been trained on community safety and security by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
The team of serving and retired senior officers from the Nigeria Army, (NA) Nigeria Navy (NN) the Nigeria Air Force, (NAF), the Department of States Security (DSS), other para military institutions and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Johnson Kokumo (rtd).
The team expressed grave concerns about the huge light arms in the hands of non state actors, saying that they should be mopped up for peace to return to the country.
Kokumo reflected on the danger of the multiplicity of illegal arms during his visit to the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Audi, in Abuja.
He said NCCSAL has the constitutional mandate to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, recover and destroy the illegal arms in the country.
Kokumo called for a more effective collaboration and cooperation with the NSCDC to win the war against insurgency, banditry and other crimes.
He said if there is an outright reduction in the proliferation of small arms and light weapons to the barest minimum, then, violent conflicts and crimes would reduce in the society.
Kokumo, who commended the NSCDC for its contributions to the enhancement of national security, said NCCSALW and NSCDC should improve collaboration in areas of profiling, identification and arrest of impostors who parade themselves as staff of the centre and go about defrauding citizens of their hard-earned resources.
He described the centre as the only statutory government agency charged with supervisory responsibility on light weapons as established by its 2024 Act assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Kokumo added: “The centre has the mandate to ensure that there is sanity among arm-bearing agencies of Nigeria.”
Audi said in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Corps, Babawale Afolabi, that his agency was ready for the war against illicit arms.
He assured the team of commitment, collaboration and cooperation with the centre so that it can achieve its mandate.
Audi said the Corps would continue to work closely with the center to arrest impostors and hand them over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.
He congratulated the centre for successfully pursuing a viable legal framework through the National Assembly and securing the presidential assent.
Audi said the feat would give the security agency more impetus to function effectively without fear of litigation.
Egbetokun commended the officers for their dedication and resilience after thd intensive tactical training programme.
He said the completion of the rigorous training underscored the commitment of the SIS.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, emphasised the importance of training for policemen.
The closing ceremony at the Police Mobile Force training camp, Ende Hills, Nasarawa, was witnessed by Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Minister of Police Affairs, the Chairman Police Service Commission, and a delegate from the US Embassy.
Adejobi said: “The IGP has emphasized the importance of focus, determination and professionalism in the face of evolving challenges in law enforcement, with the launching of the Special Intervention Squad as part of his vision of emplacing a police force that is professionally competent and service-driven in strengthening national security.
“As the SIS officers transit into their operational roles equipped with enhanced skills and renewed determination, the IGP reassured the public that the police force is dedicated to maintaining peace and order and will continue to invest in training and resources, ensuring that officers of the Nigeria Police are prepared to effectively and adequately respond to dynamics of crime and criminality in Nigeria.”
Governor Sule commended the Inspector General of Police and his team for the establishment of the squad and the timely training of its members.
The Minister of Police Affairs Ibrahim Gaidam reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to the supply of the essential resources required for efficient policing in the country.
