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Wevole Ezin, Calabar
National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), South-South zone has raised alarm over activities of some illegal groups disguised in security outfit parading themselves as National organisation for the control of Illicit Small Arms and Control of Light Weapons (SALWs).
The Zonal Coordinator, Major General Martins Obot, Retd disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement signed and issued to Newsmen in Calabar, as he called on the public to be wary of such illegal groups across the South -South states.
While calling on the public to report any group or person suspected to be operating illegally, Obot said NCCSALW is the only government agency empowered to combat SALWs in the country.
“National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) is the only Agency of Government Established to Combat Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in Nigeria.
“Meanwhile. the Centre has observed that some unscrupulous elements have sprung up pseudo- security outfits in whatever guise and nomenclature, aimed at deceiving unsuspecting members of the public by parading themselves as the national organization for the control of illicit SALW.
“The public should be wary of such illegal groups and report them to the nearest security agency.” The South-South Zonal Coordinator stated.
He further stated that the agency was established due to the recent time escalation in proliferation of SALWs in Nigeria particular and across the world.
He added, ” This has resulted in the increase in associated crimes such as kidnapping, armed violence, banditry, terrorism and armed robbery.
the damaging effect of SALW, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution A/RES/55/25 called on Member States to take steps to control the proliferation of SALW.
Accordingly, UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in SALW 2001 and Article 24 of ECOWAS Convention on SALW, their Ammunition and Other Related Materials 2006 are the legal documents for the control of SALW, to which Nigeria is a signatory.
He said in view of this, the then President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Former President Muhammadu Buhari, on May 3, 2021 established NCCSALW and by an Executive directive, domiciled in Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) with Headquarters in Abuja and zonal offices in each of the 6 Geo-political Zones of the Country.
He added, “In a bid to stem the proliferation of SALW in Nigeria, the Centre is saddled the responsibility of collaborating with relevant stakeholders in monitoring and tracking the movement and stockpile of illicit SALW within the country through the sharing of credible and actionable information. It also monitors the country’s international borders and liaises with international and regional bodies on the movement of SALW, especially within the West African Sub-region. Furthermore, the Centre, in conjunction with other security agencies, gathers recovered illicit SALW for destruction.” Obot stated.
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