Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Rilwan Disu has declared that every weapon recovered from criminals must be permanently destroyed to prevent it from finding its way back into the hands of violent offenders, warning that the circulation of illicit firearms remains one of the greatest threats to Nigeria’s security.
The IGP stated this on Wednesday at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, while receiving the Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, who led a high-powered delegation on a courtesy visit aimed at strengthening institutional collaboration against the proliferation of illegal arms.
Disu said the Nigeria Police Force remains fully committed to supporting the National Centre in combating illicit arms trafficking through intelligence sharing, joint investigations, operational collaboration and the proper disposal of recovered weapons.
Responding to the Director-General’s remarks that the Nigeria Police had contributed 11,907 firearms for destruction, the IGP said he was not surprised by the figure, explaining that the Police, as the country’s foremost internal security agency, recover illegal weapons almost daily during operations against kidnappers, terrorists, armed robbers, bandits and other violent criminal groups.
“We are the number one internal security agency. We are everywhere across the country and have greater access to communities than any other security organisation. We recover all kinds of weapons daily, whether illicitly imported, locally fabricated or sophisticated firearms used by criminal elements,” Disu said.
The Police boss noted that the Force’s tactical formations, including the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS), have consistently recovered large quantities of illegal weapons through intelligence-led operations across the country.
Drawing from his experience as former Commander of the Intelligence Response Team, Disu recalled that significant numbers of firearms recovered during operations were routinely transferred for destruction.
“I am not surprised that the Nigeria Police contributed over 11,000 weapons for destruction because that is what we do every day. I am also certain that the figure includes weapons recovered by the Intelligence Response Team because I served as its Commander, and during my time we recovered and transferred a substantial number of firearms for destruction. The mechanism remains in place today, with the IRT and STS recovering weapons on a daily basis,” he said.
The Inspector-General stressed that destroying recovered firearms is essential to preventing them from re-entering criminal circulation.
“Recovered weapons must never return to criminals. Once firearms have been recovered from criminal elements, they must be permanently destroyed to ensure they are never recycled into the hands of those who threaten our national security,” he said.
Disu assured the National Centre of the Police Force’s continued support in dismantling illegal arms trafficking networks through sustained intelligence sharing, coordinated operations and stronger institutional partnerships.
Earlier, the Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, retired DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, said the proliferation of illicit arms remains the single biggest factor driving terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, violent extremism and communal conflicts across Nigeria.
He described illegal firearms and violent crime as inseparable, noting that criminal organisations derive their strength from easy access to weapons.
Kokumo disclosed that since its establishment, the National Centre has destroyed more than 16,000 obsolete, decommissioned and unserviceable weapons collected from security agencies to prevent them from returning to circulation.
According to him, the Nigeria Police Force accounted for the largest contribution with 11,907 firearms, including 8,498 automatic weapons and 3,409 locally fabricated guns.
He identified porous international borders, diversion of weapons from government armouries and illegal local manufacturers as the three major sources of illicit arms proliferation in Nigeria.
The Director-General called for a more structured and institutionalised partnership with the Nigeria Police Force in the areas of armoury accountability, intelligence sharing, investigations, personnel training and operational coordination.
He also commended the Police for their continued support to the National Centre’s mandate and invited the Inspector-General to participate in the Centre’s next national weapons destruction exercise, describing it as a critical step towards ensuring that recovered firearms are permanently removed from circulation and never fall back into criminal hands.
About Author
