Arms Control Centre Recovers 20,000 Weapons

The National Centre for Control of Small and Light Weapons has recovered 20,000 weapons in the fight against proliferation of small and light weapons.

This was revealed by the North West zone coordinator of the centre, AVM Haruna Umar Muhammad, in an address at a sensitisation lecture organised by the agency in Kano yesterday.

Muhammad said the centre had retrieved 60,000 ammunition of different calibres through both kinetic and non-kinetic means from 2021 till date.

He said the sources of each weapon are being traced to identify where such arms entered the country from.

Muhammad announced that those with illegal arms was free to come forward and handover such weapons without recourse to legal challenges.

He said, „You can bring the weapon to us at our office silently or call us to come to your place to collect it.”

The centre also sought the support and cooperation of traditional rulers in the communities in sensitizing members of the public towards handing over all weapons in their possessions to the centre.

It was established on May 3, 2021, to control the proliferation of small and light arms among members of the public.

At an interactive session during the event, the state commissioner of police, Muhammad Usain Gumel, reminded the public that the force had since suspended the issuance of licences for arms.

He said it would be a contravention of the law for anyone to be in possession of arms.