Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has ordered a nationwide offensive against the proliferation of illegal arms as part of efforts to strengthen security ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The directive was announced on Thursday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja during a meeting with the Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Babatunde Kokumo Johnson.
Disu said the Nigeria Police Force would intensify the recovery of illicit firearms through stronger collaboration with security agencies, improved intelligence sharing and the promotion of voluntary surrender of illegal weapons.
He warned that the continued circulation of illegal firearms poses a serious threat to national security and could undermine peaceful elections if left unchecked.
According to the IGP, every recovered and destroyed weapon reduces the risk of criminal activities and improves public safety.
The police chief stressed that intelligence sharing remains critical to intercepting illegal arms transported through roads, waterways and air routes. He also noted that firearms recovered from conflict-ridden parts of the Northeast and Northwest often find their way into other regions, making coordinated national action essential.
Speaking earlier, Johnson described the spread of illegal arms as a major driver of terrorism, banditry, violent extremism and other violent crimes. He said the National Centre was established in line with the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons to coordinate efforts against illicit arms trafficking.
Johnson disclosed that the Centre has destroyed more than 16,000 obsolete, unserviceable and decommissioned weapons since its establishment. He added that the Nigeria Police Force contributed 11,907 of the destroyed weapons, comprising 8,438 automatic firearms and 3,489 locally fabricated guns.
He said the destruction of the recovered weapons underscores the Police’s commitment to ensuring that seized firearms do not return to circulation as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.
