By Aaior K. Comfort

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has condemned police officers and soldiers involved in selling weapons from their formations to criminal elements, labeling such acts as a severe threat to national security. Speaking at an event in Abuja organized by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) on Thursday, Ribadu emphasized the need to clamp down on security personnel who provide arms to criminals, describing them as “worse human beings.”

Ribadu highlighted that a significant number of illicit weapons used in violent crimes originated from government stockpiles, often due to corrupt individuals within the security services. He also stressed that these actions not only harm innocent civilians but also result in the deaths of fellow security officers.

The destruction of arms, as carried out by the NCCSALW, is part of ongoing efforts to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which exacerbate insurgency, banditry, and other forms of violent crime in Nigeria. Ribadu underscored the government’s commitment to a peaceful and secure future, noting that the exercise involved the destruction of unserviceable, obsolete, and recovered weapons.

Retired DIG Johnson Kokumo, Director General of the NCCSALW, revealed that over 2,400 illicit weapons were being destroyed, including those recovered from military, police, and other security agencies. He added that weapons recently seized by the Nigeria Customs Service would also be destroyed once legal proceedings are concluded. Kokumo stressed that the ongoing removal of illegal arms from circulation sends a strong message that Nigeria will not tolerate illegal arms trafficking.