National Small Arms Control Center officials Seeks Partnership with Borno Journalists

By Bodunrin Kayode

Officials of the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), have called for partnership with the Nigerian Union of journalists Borno state council.

The officials led by Rear Admiral Abdulrahim Shua came from the northeast zonal office which is now based in maiduguri.

Rear Admiral Abdulrahim Shuwa retired accompanied by top officials of the zonal office was received by the Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Dauda Iliya, his Vice Chairman, Comrade Abdulkareem Haruna, and Secretary of the Council Chiroma Ali and other top members of the Executive.

Shua disclosed that the NUJ is the first organization they would be visiting outside the military sector since his arrival to the sub-region.

Rear Admiral Shuwa (retired) said his mission was to introduce the federal organization to the working journalists and to forge a collaborative working relationship with the union as critical partners to the attainment of the NCCSALW core mandate of mopping up small arms. .

The retired Rear Admiral informed the NUJ leaders that the establishment of the NCCSALW was in line with the requirements of Article 24 of the ECOWAS Convention for The Establishment of SALW Commissions by all 15 member states in their efforts to eradicate the proliferation of SALW in the region collectively.

“Thus, the NCCSALW is mandated to lead a multi-stakeholder process involving MDAs and civil society organizations in the
implementation of all national, ecowas, and un plans of action on the control of SALW.

Shuwa also noted that the agreement included the establishment of Nigeria’s six zonal centers in Ado-Ekiti Calabar, Enugu, Kaduna, Minna, and Maiduguri by the office of the National Security Adviser.

The Small Arms Control chieftain noted that “when conflicts ends or subside, small arms remaining in circulation may lead to additional violence and suffering since fighting can resume or conflicts may erupt in neighboring regions,” he said.

“when small arms and light weapons are not mopped up in non-conflict areas, they could easily be used in perpetrating criminal violence or may be used in homicides, suicides, robbery.” He posited.

Admiral Shuwa said that there are about 875 million small arms worldwide, produced by 1,200 companies in 90 countries that produced them adding that “SALW has killed between 500,000 and 750,000 people annually. “

He emphasized that the success of the NCCSALW cannot be guaranteed without the media’s full cooperation.

Responding chair of the Borno council Comrade Iliya thanked the NCCSALW Zonal coordinator and his team for the cherished visit, even as he said the NUJ would visit them soon.

Comrade Iliya, however, assured the team of complete participation of the NUJ in all the activities of the Center, noting that everyone is aware of the menace of small arms and how its prevalence in the state has inflicted untold adversity on its people, and their socio-economic activities.

National Small Arms Control Center officials Seeks Partnership with Borno Journalists