The Lamido of Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha, has partnered with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), North-East Zonal Centre, under the Office of the National Security Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, to tackle the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country.
Speaking when the North-East Zonal Director of NCCSALW, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Adamu (retd.), paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday, the monarch emphasized the vital role of traditional rulers in curbing the spread of illegal weapons and promoting peace and stability in their domains.
The Lamido pledged his full support to the Centre’s efforts, promising to mobilize traditional leaders and sensitize communities across Adamawa State on the dangers associated with the possession and use of illicit arms.
He called on traditional rulers in the state to collaborate with the Centre to rid their communities of such weapons and contribute to the collective effort of ending banditry and insecurity.
Earlier, Maj.-Gen. Adamu said that the partnership with traditional institutions and other stakeholders was critical to achieving success in the fight against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
He explained that the Centre was working closely with relevant security agencies and stakeholders to recover and destroy all illegal weapons in circulation, in line with the mandate of the Federal Government.
According to him, the Centre also has the authority to prosecute individuals involved in the trafficking or possession of illicit arms and is seeking stronger cooperation from all stakeholders to achieve its objectives.
As part of the sensitization visit, the Zonal Director also met with the Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, CP Dankombo Morris, where both parties discussed ways to enhance synergy and intelligence sharing.
Maj.-Gen. Adamu appealed for the continued collaboration of the Police Command in the ongoing nationwide effort to mop up illegal weapons from circulation.
In his response, CP Morris pledged the Command’s commitment to work with the Centre to ensure public safety and eliminate illegal arms in the state.
Similarly, the Centre’s delegation visited the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the state, Barthalomew Omoaka, who assured the team of the Service’s full cooperation, especially in intelligence gathering and sharing, which he described as vital in combating the spread of illicit weapons.
