The Director General, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, has stated that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, emerging transnational threats, and shifting security landscapes have rendered some long-standing legal and operational approaches insufficient.
He stated this at a 2-Day workshop organised by the centre to review the National Firearms Act of 1959 and was held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja Nigeria.
The DG NCCSALW said firearms regulation must be updated to reflect the complex realities of present time which include regional instability, porous borders, sophisticated illicit markets, and rapidly advancing technologies.
According to Babatunde Kokumo, the deliberations at the workshop will be used to prompt a revised legal instrument that not only addresses today's security threats but also anticipates those of tomorrow
According to DCP Babatunde Kokumo, the move to identify gap in the firearms act is with the intend to proactively shape the future of arms control in Nigeria.
The National Security Adviser NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu in his address said it has become necessary to re-examine the piece of legislation enacted over half a century ago, to make ig robust enough to confront the rapidly changing dynamics of illicit arms flow, organized crime, terrorism and other transnational security threats.
Represented by the Director Law Enforcement and Liaison, Office of the National Security Adviser, retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Rex Dundu, the National Firearms Act of 1959 served its purpose in an era with different set of security challenges but times are rapidly changing as the situation is far more complex in the present.
According to the NSA, the availability of illicit arms which exacerbates conflicts, fuel violent extremism, undermines governance and impedes the nation's developmental goals calls for review of the firearms act.
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu therefore Applauds the National Center's leadership in driving the process as participant, aim to scrutinize the existing provisions of the Firearms Act, identify gaps, and propose amendments that align with global best practices.
He called on the participants to incorporate the provisions of relevant international conventions, strengthen oversight mechanisms, ensure reliable tracking and registration systems, and refine penalties to deter and punish offenders effectively.
" I recognize that no single institution can surmount these challenges alone. It is through collaborative efforts, knowledge sharing, and the harmonization of legal frameworks that we can collectively address the proliferation of illicit arms.
In doing so, we not only protect our citizens but also contribute to regional stability and the realization of international peace and security goals" stated the NSA
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