Written by :
Dare Daniels
The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), has said it’s the only government-sanctioned body responsible to checkmate the proliferation of illicit arms and light weapons in Nigeria.
The Zonal Coordinator of South West, Ben Sola Akinlade stated this on Tuesday while addressing Newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Akinlade also alerted the public on the activities of unauthorized organizations impersonating it and duping unsuspecting individuals, urging members of the public to be wary of their illegal activities and report them to the Centre.
In his words, “The Centre remains the only government sanctioned body charged with the responsibility to checkmate the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in Nigeria. It is crucial to note that any infringement on the duties of the Centre will attract legal sanctions.
“It has been observed recently that some unscrupulous and unauthorized outfits have emerged deceitfully presenting themselves as the focal organizations for the control of illicit small arms and light weapons, creating a false impression of the legitimacy and authority of the National Centre.
“The action of these unauthorized bodies have the propensity to further compound
the already complex task of small arms and light weapons control and may potentially result in confusion and a lack of credibility leading to administrative and legal disputes, which may hinder the Centre from effectively carrying out its mandate.
“They have gone to the extent of collecting money from members of the public seeking employment from them. All stakeholders and partners in the war against illicit weapons are hereby
reminded of the enormity of the Centre’s mandate and the necessity to operate within legal boundaries.” he revealed.
