Center urges citizens in possession of arms to surrender

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Coordinator, Northwest Zonal Office, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, AVM, Haruna Muhammed (Rtd), has urged citizens in possession of arms to surrender them, in the interest of peace and security.
Muhammed averred this during visit to Sokoto and Kebbi States to interact with heads of security agencies at their respective Commands.
The Coordinator, who was in the duo states with his team was their to acknowledge their contributions towards the attainment of the vision, and mission of the Centre and to call for sustained synergy to strengthen collaborations in the interest of national security.
According to him, Sokoto state was the first to showcase the success of the National Centre with the handing over of over 1000 small arms and light weapons and over 4000 ammunition of different caliber in June 2022, attributing the achievement to the collective efforts of the security operatives in the state through kinetic and none kinetic approaches.
The Zonal Coordinator and his team also took a sensitization campaign to the NYSC Orientation Camp, Wamakko on the need for corps members not to engage in the use of small arms and light weapons.
The two-day working visit was concluded by sensitization on the core functions and values of the Centre with participants drawn from traditional ruling bodies, religious bodies, security agencies, CSOs, market women, some professional organizations, youth corps members, students, NURTW, Traders Associations, and Commercial Motorcycles/ tricycles Associations among others.
He urged participants to take the message to their homes, places of worship, business points, and other meeting places for peace and development of the State and Nation.
While in Kebbi, the team stressed the need for residents to combat the influx of small arms and light weapons in the country and also expose people committing various criminal offenses in the society.
He said: “For years, the nation has grappled with escalating incidents of banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and cultism, among other security challenges,” the Zonal Coordinator disclosed.
“A significant contributor to the menace is the proliferation of small arms and light weapons particularly in the Northern part of the country. To combat this issue, the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons was established.
“The Centre’s coordinating unit in the Northern Western Zone visited Kebbi State, and organized lectures and engagements with stakeholders, highlighting notable achievements such as the taking over of a large number of recovered small arms across the country by the Centre among others.”
During the engagements in Kebbi, speakers from various security outfits, civil society organizations, the academia, and the general public emphasized the importance of the Centre’s mission and urged citizens in possession of arms to surrender them to promote peace and security in the State and the Country at large.
The delegation from the Centre also visited the Emir of Gwandu at his Palace for more engagement and royal blessing.