THE Federal Government, on Thursday, destroyed 2,809 illicit, decommissioned and unserviceable small arms and light weapons.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the government also reaffirmed its resolve to stem the proliferation of illegal weapons fueling insecurity across the country.

The destruction, carried out by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) in Abuja, brought the cumulative number of weapons destroyed by the centre to about 19,000.

Speaking at the event, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said the exercise demonstrated government’s commitment to transparency, accountability and national security.

Ribadu was represented by the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro.

He said terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes and other violent crimes were sustained by the widespread availability of illicit arms.

According to him, every weapon recovered and permanently destroyed represents a threat eliminated from society.

“It is important to emphasise that recovering weapons alone is not enough.

“Public, transparent and verifiable destruction guarantees that these recovered weapons can never again be used against any Nigerian,” he said.

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Ribadu said his office, with President Bola Tinubu’s support, has pursued an intelligence-led national security strategy anchored on stronger inter-agency collaboration, disruption of criminal financing networks, enhanced border security and renewed international partnerships.

He said the strategy, produced measurable gains by degrading terrorist capabilities and strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.

The NSA urged Nigerians to support security agencies by reporting illegal possession, manufacture, trafficking and movement of arms.

He also called on traditional and religious leaders to promote peace, dialogue and voluntary disarmament within their communities.

Earlier, the Director-General of NCCSALW, DIG Johnson Kokumo (retd), described the destruction exercise as a deliberate, transparent and irreversible step toward improving national security.

Kokumo said the destroyed weapons were either illicitly acquired or declared obsolete, decommissioned and unserviceable.

He noted the proliferation of illicit small arms remained one of the major drivers of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes and other violent crimes.