Strategic control of small Arms, light weapons will go along way towards mitigating security challenges

By: Tunde BOLAJI MINNA.

The Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Niger State Council Comrade Abu Nmodu, said strategic control of Small Arms and Light Weapons will go along way towards mitigating security challenges confronting the Country.

Comrade Abu Nmodu stated this when the new Zonal Director of National Centre for the control of Small Arms and light Weapons North Central Abdul Adamu Eneche, paid him a courtesy visit at IBB Pen House Minna.

The State Chairman of NUJ who expressed concern over the proliferation of illegal weapons, expressed the readiness of the Union to strengthen it’s relationship with the Centre to reduce the menace in the society.

He commended the Zonal Director for recognizing the roles being played by journalists in the campaign against the proliferation of small arms and pledged the Union’s support to achieve the set objectives.

Earlier the Zonal Director of the Centre Abdul Adamu Eneche, said the visit was part of advocacy and sensitization to critical stakeholders with the view to eliminating small arms and light weapons in the Zone.

Adamu Eneche attributed various forms of threats in the country including insurgency, communal as well as Fulani and herders clashes, kidnapping and cattle rustling, to prevalence of illegal arms which calls for collective effort to eradicate.

He lamented that, blacksmiths who hitherto fabricates only dane guns for ceremonies have graduated to producing sophisticated weapons that ends up in the hands of criminals.

The Zonal Director said criminals were taking advantage of unmanned borders to import illegal arms as they have deviced several means of concealing the arms like Jerry cans, and bags of rice among others.

He revealed that the Centre created in 2021, was given legal backing in April 2024 as an intelligent organization using advocacy and sensitization as a non-kenetic means to eliminating small arms and light weapons.

Adamu Eneche then called for more support and collaboration of NUJ members in the task of controlling of illegal weapons in the country.