Video: https://www.transfernow.net/dl/202610126IWkh3y7
Headline: Nigeria, 11 African countries join forces against arms spread
SEO: Disu seeks stronger tracking of illegal weapons in Africa
Kunle Ojo
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has called for stronger weapons identification and tracking systems across Africa, warning that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons continues to fuel terrorism, kidnapping and other security threats.
Disu made the call during a training programme for law enforcement personnel from Nigeria, Niger, Chad, the Central African Republic, Mali, Algeria, Burkina Faso and five other African countries.
He said strengthening the capacity of security agencies to identify, mark, register and trace small arms, light weapons and ammunition was critical to curbing their illegal circulation.
The police chief described the proliferation of such weapons as one of the major threats to peace and security on the continent, noting that their movement across national borders made coordinated action necessary.
The weapons, he said, were being used to sustain terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts and organised crime.
Disu stressed the need for African countries to work together to address the common security challenges, with effective weapons tracing identified as a key tool for disrupting illicit arms networks.
Representatives of international partners, including the German Embassy, also highlighted global frameworks designed to strengthen arms control and prevent the illegal circulation of weapons and ammunition.
These included the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, as well as the Global Framework for Through-Life Conventional Ammunition Management.
Participants were expected to apply the knowledge gained from the training in their respective countries to improve weapons control, strengthen cooperation among law enforcement agencies and enhance community safety.
The initiative underscores growing efforts to improve cross-border security cooperation as African countries confront the movement of illicit weapons and the armed groups that use them.
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