President Bola Tinubu has signed a bill into law establishing the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
This is a key step in the government’s efforts to combat the proliferation of illegal firearms in Nigeria.
This development was announced by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu at a workshop focused on gender mainstreaming in preventing the spread of small arms across Nigeria and West Africa.
Represented by the Director of External Affairs, Amb. Ibrahim Babani, Ribadu said that the new law strengthens the centre’s mandate and enables more coordinated efforts to curb the flow of illicit arms.
He also emphasised on the need for gender mainstreaming in preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
He said that the workshop was anchored in key international frameworks, including United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
According to him, the resolution emphasises the critical need to protect women from the impacts of conflict while also ensuring their full participation in peacebuilding and security initiatives.
