By Christopher Deborah
The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapon ( NCCSALW) South-West zone has warned unauthorized organisations against parading themselves as bodies responsible for the control of Illicit arms and light weapons in Nigeria.
This was made known today at a press briefing with Journalists in Ado-Ekiti.
According to the Zonal Coordinator of South West Zone, Ben Sola Akinlade, the action of these unauthorized bodies has the propensity to further compound the already complex task of small arms and light weapons control in the country.
He added that they have gone to the extent of defrauding members of the public seeking employment from them.
While urging all stakeholders and partners in the war against illicit weapons to take note of the enormity of the centers mandate, he said the center remains the only government sanctioned body charged with the responsibility to checkmate the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country.
“The National center for control of small arms and light weapons was esterblish under the the office of the National security Adviser (ONSA) by the formal president Mahammadu Buhair on 3rd May 2021.
“The centre has six Geo- political offices working in collaboration with the fifteen arms bearing agencies by collating and facilitating the destruction of illicts weapons seized by these agencies.
“Also the South West zonal office since it’s inception has engaged relevant stakeholders across the Zonal through sensitization, advocacy programs, sharing of intelligence with security agencies which led to various operational successes, facilitated the movement and destruction of seized small arms and light weapons.
“The centre has sustained collaboration and synergy with other stakeholders and relevant security Agencies in indentifying ,profiling, arrest and prosecution of arms traffickers within the Zone.”
He also urges the media to uphold the highest standards of journalist ethics to prevent the projection of unlawful organization as the center remains the only government sanctioned body.
