Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu has signed a bill establishing the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has disclosed

The development was made known at a workshop focused on gender mainstreaming in efforts to curb the spread of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and the West African sub-region, held on Tuesday in Abuja.

The workshop was organized by the NCCSALW. Ribadu, represented by the Director of External Affairs from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Amb. Ibrahim Babani, described the president’s assent as a crucial step in the government’s fight against the illegal proliferation of arms.
He noted that this legislative backing would solidify the centre’s authority and facilitate more coordinated efforts to tackle the issue.

Ribadu also emphasized the importance of gender mainstreaming in addressing the arms control problem, citing key international frameworks such as the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
This resolution underscored the need to protect women from the impacts of conflict and ensure their active participation in peacebuilding and security initiatives.
He also referenced the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, which highlights regional cooperation in stopping the spread of weapons that disproportionately affect women and children in conflict zones.

“The importance of gender mainstreaming in preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons cannot be overstated,” Ribadu said. “It strengthens our strategies and ensures our approach to security is inclusive and sustainable.”

Speaking at the workshop, the National Coordinator of NCCSALW, retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Johnson Kokumo, detailed the centre’s recent efforts in combating illegal arms proliferation.
Kokumo mentioned that the centre recently retrieved a substantial cache of illegal arms from the Nigeria Customs Service and arrested 10 suspects involved in illicit importation. These suspects are currently being prosecuted for offenses that include the illegal importation of 544 firearms and 112,500 rounds of ammunition, in violation of Nigerian law.

Kokumo further revealed that the centre has retrieved 3,383 decommissioned and illicit small arms, along with 26,749 rounds of ammunition, from various government agencies. He also announced plans for an Arms Destruction Exercise later this quarter to ensure that recovered arms are permanently removed from circulation.

Highlighting the global implications of small arms proliferation, Kokumo said, “The control of small arms and light weapons is not only a national concern but also a matter of international importance.” He added that addressing this issue through a gender-sensitive approach is both a moral imperative and a strategic move, considering the grave impact of armed conflict on women and children.

“This workshop is a significant step in ensuring that gender perspectives are integrated into national and regional strategies for small arms and light weapons control,” he stated.

Again another tragic incident has occured in Niger State where suspected Boko Haram members in the Pandogari community have beheaded two farmers.
This attack is coming barely two weeks after 13 farmers were killed at a mining site in Shiroro local government area.

According to sources, the insurgents were fleeing from local vigilantes that launched a full-scale war against them, combing the Allawa, Bassa, and Kukoki forests.
The vigilantes, numbering over 200, were mobilized from neighboring states to counter the insurgents.

The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges in the region, with Boko Haram’s violent activities causing harm to innocent civilians. The local vigilantes’ efforts to combat the insurgents are a significant development in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.
The fleeing members of the Boko Haram were said to have met the farmers in their farms while escaping the onslaught by the local vigilantes.
Before the onslaught by the Vigilantes, the Boko Haram sect had occupied Allawa, Bassa, Kukoki and other neighboring villages after they successfully dislodged the Military from their Camps at Allawa and Bassa, and ordered the people to vacate their homes.
Those who tried to return to the communities to get some food stuff, especially in Allawa have paid the supreme prize in the last two months with over 40 of the villagers killed so far.
It was gathered that the two beheaded farmers were in their farms working when the gunmen met them and after killing them, they (gunmen) decided to exchange their head with their body.
“After beheading then, they exchanged their heads with their bodies and abandoned them. We just buried them today”, our source said.
He however lamented that if a similar onslaught could be launched against the gunmen from Pandogari end, they will not have an escape route, stressing that “they are now running towards Pandogari because the heat is on them from Allawa, Bassa and Kukoki.
“We are appealing to the government to mobilize the vigilantes for similar offensive against them from Pandogari end. They (gunmen) have all fled Allawa as I am talking to you now”, he added.
Meanwhile a source close to the government told our correspondent that the government decided to engaged the services of the local vigilantes since the federal government is foot-dragging in sending troops to the area.
“The state government needs to act quickly if not the current situation and the activities of these gunmen will send our people away from their farms and their ancestral lands.
“The government wants to put an end to all that now, and has decided to take the fight to the insurgents in their enclaves. We will follow them to wherever they are within our territory. We are going all out against them.
“I can tell you that this exercise will be a continuous one untill the state and the people are free from the menace of these criminal elements. They motive is criminal and nothing more”, our source disclosed.

***As COAS Lagbaja Opens Leadership Workshop in Minna

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has emphasized the critical need for leadership skills within the Nigerian Army to successfully operate in joint environments.
He spoke during the inauguration of the 2024 Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Nigerian Army Doctrine and Combat Development leadership workshop, held at the TRADOC headquarters in Minna, the capital of Niger State.

Speaking through the commander of TRADOC, Maj. General Kelvin Aligbe, the COAS highlighted that the evolving nature of global security challenges demands that the Nigerian Army collaborates closely with other relevant partners.
He pointed out that the workshop is aimed at refining the leadership skills of officers and soldiers, enabling them to effectively navigate the complexities of joint military operations.

“The objective of this workshop is to enhance the leadership skills, abilities, and capabilities of our officers and soldiers within a joint environment,” said Lagbaja.
He added that the training would also provide valuable tools and strategies for effective team management and improved decision-making.

The COAS reiterated the importance of the leadership initiative, urging officers and soldiers to fully engage with the program.
He stressed that the training is essential for bolstering leadership competencies in both peace and wartime situations.

This year’s workshop is themed “Enhancing Doctrine and Combat Development in the Nigerian Army for Effective Leadership in a Joint Environment,” reflecting the COAS’s vision of transforming the Nigerian Army into a highly trained, equipped, and motivated force capable of fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities.

In his welcome address, the Chief of Doctrine and Combat Development, TRADOC, Maj. General Jamiu Jimoh, noted that the Nigerian Army’s experiences over the past decade underscore the necessity of effective and visionary leadership. Represented by the Director of Doctrine, Major General Anthony Obiwulu, Jimoh emphasized that the workshop is designed to position participants to better conduct training and operations in the future.

“Effective and pragmatic leadership is the cornerstone of successful military operations within a joint environment,” Jimoh remarked. He called on the participants to adopt the spirit of good leadership to inspire their subordinates and achieve positive outcomes in their missions.

The workshop is expected to play a pivotal role in enhancing the leadership capabilities of commanders at all levels, ultimately contributing to the actualization of the COAS’s vision for the Nigerian Army.