The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to tackling the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons through strengthened diplomatic engagement, international partnerships and regional cooperation, as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, received the Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (rtd.), and his delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.

“I was pleased to receive the Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (rtd.), and his distinguished delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, for discussions on strengthening diplomatic cooperation and advancing collective efforts to combat illicit arms proliferation.

During the meeting, the Director-General outlined the Centre’s mandate and identified external sources, local artisanal production and the diversion of weapons from authorised government stockpiles as major drivers of illicit arms proliferation. He also highlighted the Centre’s efforts to trace intercepted weapons, investigate trafficking networks, secure government stockpiles and destroy recovered illicit weapons to prevent their recirculation.

I acknowledged the importance of the Centre’s work and reaffirmed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to supporting its activities through international training, diplomatic engagement and strategic partnerships. I also emphasised the need for enhanced diplomatic cooperation to strengthen the Centre’s operational capacity and facilitate greater international support.

I reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to regional and international arms control frameworks, including the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative, the Arms Trade Treaty and relevant United Nations instruments. I further called for stronger cross-border coordination, intelligence sharing and weapons-tracing cooperation with neighbouring countries and international partners across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.

I equally expressed optimism about the ongoing dialogue between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), which commenced in Dakar, Senegal, and urged both parties to incorporate arms control and weapons-tracing cooperation into their emerging framework.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to support the critical work of the NCCSALW through sustained diplomatic engagement, international cooperation and strengthened inter-agency coordination. Addressing the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons requires collective commitment and coordinated action to promote lasting peace, security and stability across Nigeria and the wider region.

This engagement underscores Nigeria’s determination to strengthen diplomatic partnerships and promote a coordinated regional response to illicit arms proliferation. Through sustained collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the NCCSALW and international partners, Nigeria will continue to advance arms control initiatives, enhance cross-border security cooperation and support collective efforts to build a safer, more peaceful and stable West African region.”