The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has said that a sizable number of illicit arms used to commit crimes in the country originally belonged to the government.

Ribadu stated this on Thursday during the Arms Destruction Exercise, organised by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), at Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, Giri, Abuja.

He explained that these weapons ended up in the hands of non-state actors due to corrupt elements within the security agencies.

The NSA condemned and rained curses on security personnel who facilitate the movement of weapons to terrorists, bandits, and other non-state actors.

He assured that the government would do everything possible to ensure the country is safe, secure, and protected.

“We have to find a way of putting a stop to this. We must, if we want to recover our country and live in peace and stability.

“The worst human being is a policeman or a soldier who takes arms from his own formations and sells them or hides them for bad people to use and kill his own colleagues.

“We must fight these people. But also, there are merchants of death and evil from outside the world.

“The proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons remains a major threat to our national security, exacerbating issues such as insurgency, banditry, and other violent crimes,” he said.

Ribadu said the arms destruction exercise was one of several conducted by the Centre in the past, marking a major focus and a decisive step in the concerted effort to address the challenge of arms proliferation in Nigeria.

The NSA affirmed that the federal government remains committed to providing the necessary support to the Centre to ensure the safety of every Nigerian.

According to him, “By destroying unserviceable, obsolete, and recovered arms, we are demonstrating our commitment to a secure future for all Nigerians.

“All illicit arms—whether unserviceable or not—are illegal. Any weapon acquired through illegal means must be destroyed completely.

“We have laws governing the ownership of small arms. If those laws are not followed, the weapon is illegal and must be destroyed,” he added.

The Director-General of NCCSALW, retired DIG Johnson Kokumo, said the arms destruction exercise was the third in a series since the Centre was established and the first since his assumption of command.

Kokumo highlighted that the challenge posed by the proliferation of SALW remains one of the major threats to peace and security in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

He said the exercise would destroy over 2,400 illicit weapons, comprising a mix of unserviceable, decommissioned, and recovered arms.

“These weapons have been mopped up by the military, police, and other security agencies across the country.

“By permanently removing these arms from circulation, we reduce the risk they pose to our communities and send a clear message that Nigeria will not tolerate the illegal trafficking and possession of small arms and light weapons.

“It is also important to state that the National Centre has in its custody some recovered or captured illicit SALW still undergoing tracing, investigations, and legal processes.

“These include illicit weapons handed over to the Centre by the Nigeria Customs Service. These categories of weapons will be destroyed upon the completion of these processes during subsequent routine destruction exercises,” he said.

Kokumo said the destruction had successfully removed thousands of dangerous weapons from circulation, improving the country’s security situation.

He added that the exercise aligns with the provisions of Article 17 of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, as well as the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in SALW.

He expressed gratitude to the NSA and the military for their support in enabling the Centre to fulfil its mandate.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, representatives of the service chiefs, and heads of other security agencies.