Nigeria Seeks Regional Arms Tracking to Curb Banditry, Kidnapping

Nigeria is seeking stronger cross-border intelligence sharing and coordinated weapons tracking with neighbouring countries to disrupt illicit arms trafficking fuelling banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and communal violence.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the call during a meeting with the Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (retd.), in Abuja on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued on October 21 and signed by its spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu described the proliferation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons as major threats to Nigeria’s national security, regional stability and sustainable development.

She stressed the need for stronger international cooperation, particularly in intelligence sharing and weapons tracing across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, where insecurity and cross-border criminal activities remain major concerns.

The minister also proposed integrating arms control and weapons-tracing mechanisms into the emerging dialogue framework between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Confederation of Sahel States (AES).

She identified cross-border arms trafficking, local artisanal weapons production and the theft or diversion of firearms from government stockpiles as major sources of illicit weapons.

According to her, addressing these channels is critical to protecting lives, restoring livelihoods and creating a secure environment for investment and economic development.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu called for stronger collaboration among government agencies responsible for tracing firearms, securing authorised weapons, investigating arms diversion and verifying the end users of legally transferred weapons.

She further advocated the destruction of recovered illicit firearms where appropriate to prevent them from re-entering circulation.

Kokumo, who outlined the centre’s efforts to trace intercepted weapons, investigate trafficking networks, secure government arms stockpiles and destroy recovered illicit firearms, sought greater diplomatic support for the agency’s operations.

The minister assured the centre of closer collaboration with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, particularly in preparing Nigeria’s positions for international meetings and strengthening engagement with foreign partners.

She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional and international frameworks for controlling small arms and light weapons, including the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative, the Arms Trade Treaty, the United Nations Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons, and the International Tracing Instrument.

Both officials agreed on the need for stronger institutional cooperation, improved technical capacity and coordinated diplomatic engagement to combat illicit arms trafficking.

Beyond law enforcement and border security, Odumegwu-Ojukwu called for greater public awareness and community participation in efforts to prevent weapons proliferation.

She urged traditional institutions, community leaders and women’s groups to support peacebuilding initiatives and discourage the circulation of illegal firearms.

The minister also emphasised the need to prevent young people from being recruited into criminal networks and strengthen deradicalisation programmes.

The proposed collaboration is expected to bring diplomatic engagement, intelligence sharing, law enforcement and community-based initiatives together in Nigeria’s efforts to curb illicit firearms and address insecurity.