Over 5 Million Illegal Firearms in Southwest Nigeria

During a seminar in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Alamutu, a representative from the NCCSALW, revealed that over five million illegal firearms are circulating in Southwest Nigeria. He highlighted the significant progress made in intercepting weapons at Nigeria's borders but stressed the importance of focusing on retrieving arms already in circulation.

Alamutu called for collaboration among local stakeholders, including traditional rulers and civil society groups, to encourage voluntary surrender of weapons. Ogun State Police Commissioner Bode Ojauni emphasized the need for better coordination in handling recovered arms and warned against delays in transferring seized weapons, which pose potential risks.

Dr. Kunle Olawunmi from Chrisland University urged security agencies to utilize seized arms in the fight against banditry instead of destroying them. He recommended that within six months, the NCCSALW, judiciary, and federal ministries adopt a national post-judgment small arms and light weapons management protocol to define roles and timelines for managing seized arms in Nigeria.