…As Nigeria destroys 17,000 decommissioned weapons and 20,000 rounds of illicit ammunition

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on member states to strengthen controls against the diversion of lawfully acquired arms into illicit use, warning that mismanaged official stockpiles pose a growing regional security risk.

The appeal came during a five-day In-Security Training on Physical Security, Stockpile Management, and Property Management for National Security in Nigeria, organized in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by the ECOWAS Commission’s Small Arms Division.

The programme brought together personnel from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and other security and paramilitary agencies from Rivers State and the wider Niger Delta.

Reinforcing the message, the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) disclosed that it has destroyed more than 17,000 unserviceable, obsolete, and decommissioned weapons, along with over 20,000 rounds of illicit ammunition, as part of Nigeria’s ongoing effort to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

Vigilance against diversion
Abayomi Adeomi, Acting Head of the ECOWAS Small Arms Division, commended the Federal Government of Nigeria, NCCSALW, and the Rivers State Government for their support in hosting the capacity-building programme.

He noted that the collaboration between ECOWAS and the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies has translated regional commitments into practical training for member states.

“While most attention is often paid to weapons trafficked across borders, we must equally remain vigilant about the diversion of weapons from legally authorised stockpiles of Member States,” Adeomi said.

He stressed that stockpile management “is not just a mere technical administrative function,” but a core element of national security, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and accountable security sector governance.

Adeomi outlined the pillars of effective arms control in government custody: accurate inventory systems, disciplined controls over national stockpiles, routine inspections, safe handling procedures, competent and well-trained personnel, and the timely destruction of obsolete and surplus weapons. Together, he said, these measures “form a vital barrier against diversion, theft, loss, and accidental, unexpected explosions.”

Nigeria’s destruction of seized and obsolete materials
Providing an update on national actions, Alex Inemo Ebimiebo, Zonal Director (South-South) of the NCCSALW, said the center has destroyed over 17,000 unserviceable, obsolete, and decommissioned weapons, as well as more than 20,000 rounds of illicit ammunition since its inception. He represented the Director-General of the Centre, Johnson Kokumo.

He explained that Nigeria created the NCCSALW in 2021 to establish a permanent and robust institutional framework to tackle the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. Before the centre’s establishment, the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM), inaugurated in 2013, served as a multi-agency mechanism coordinating national efforts against illicit proliferation.

“In furtherance of this mandate, the center has continued to prioritize capacity building for the Armed Forces, Police, and other law enforcement agencies,” Ebimiebo said. Priority areas include weapons and ammunition management, physical security and stockpile management, marking and tracing, record keeping, identification of illicit weapons, and strengthening institutional procedures to prevent loss and diversion.

He emphasized that proper documentation and the destruction of decommissioned arms and ammunition permanently remove such materiel from circulation, reduce the risk of diversion, and reinforce public confidence in national arms control measures.

“These activities form an important part of the Center’s wider efforts to disrupt the illicit life cycle of weapons and ammunition,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General E. I. Okoro, Brigadier General A. A. Bello, Commander 6 Division Garrison and Commander, Sector 3, Joint Task Force South-South, warned that poorly managed stockpiles heighten the risks of theft, diversion, unauthorized access, deterioration, and unplanned explosions—with potentially severe consequences for military personnel, surrounding communities, and national security.

“Conversely, disciplined stockpile management preserves operational capability, protects lives and materiel, strengthens accountability, and prevents weapons and ammunition from reaching criminals, terrorists, and other unauthorized non-state actors,” he said. “Our procedures must remain consistent with recognized international best practices.”

The five-day Port Harcourt training assembled 20 participants drawn from the Armed Forces, Police, and other security agencies. Sessions focused on physical security, stockpile management, property management for national security, and practical measures for documenting, storing, auditing, and safely destroying surplus or obsolete weapons and ammunition.

Security experts say the focus on diversion from official stockpiles marks a critical shift in West Africa’s arms-control discourse.

While cross-border trafficking remains a major concern, lapses within official depots can funnel weapons to armed groups and criminals, undermining state security efforts and fueling violence.

By combining regional training initiatives, national destruction of seized and obsolete materiel, and improved procedures for marking, tracing, and record keeping, ECOWAS and Nigerian authorities aim to close loopholes that enable weapons to slip from lawful custody into illicit markets.