The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has noted with concern the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the wrong hands, warning that such unchecked illegalities pose a significant threat to national peace, security, and development.
The agency, while expressing fears that “these weapons are often used to perpetrate crimes of unimaginable magnitude and violation of human rights, which often leads to the destruction of countless lives and properties of unquantifiable value,” stressed the need for effective control and mop-up operations by security agencies.
The state director, Mr Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, stated this in Uyo while addressing reporters, COMOs of the 31 LGAs and members of the public. He called for a holistic action to defuse security tension in the state through effective monitoring and regulation of illegal arms circulation.
He described small arms as “firearms designed for individual use, including pistols, rifles, and submachine guns (SMGs), while light weapons encompass heavier weapons that a small crew, such as machine guns, mortars, and grenade launchers, can carry.”
He explained that “the accessibility and affordability of these weapons make them particularly dangerous as non-state actors, including criminal organisations and terrorist groups easily obtain them.”
Acknowledging the threat posed by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, the state director called on all relevant stakeholders and members of the public to “support NOA in the campaign against the proliferation of such categories of weapons in our society.”
Head of Department (HoD) of Community Safety, Awareness and Compliance (CSAC), Mrs. Nsidibe Udoette, noted that “the proliferation of small arms and light weapons contribute immensely to organised crimes, human trafficking, and other illegal activities as well as undermining the rule of law among others.”
She stressed that “small arms have been linked to numerous human rights abuses, including targeted killings and gender-based violence, which often leads to forced displacement and the creation of humanitarian crises.”
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