Retired Maj.-Gen. Abba Dikko, the coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, has solicited the support of the Nigerian Army to rid the country of illicit arms.

Mr Dikko said when he visited the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, on Tuesday in Abuja, that collaboration between the two and other stakeholders would help to make Nigeria illicit arms-free.

The coordinator said in a statement that the participation of stakeholders was key to the eradication of illicit arms and institutionalising control.

He particularly noted that the collaboration would enable the centre to get the needed expertise from the Army in the area of disarmament and demobilisation.

Mr Dikko noted that the collaboration would also be in collecting, storing, destroying, managing, and stockpiling seized unmarked and illegally held Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW).

Responding, Mr Yahaya commended the centre for identifying with the army as the vanguard in the fight against the proliferation of illicit SALW and related materials.

He commended the centre’s efforts and reiterated that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons remained the bane of insecurity in the country.

Mr Yahaya pledged the support of the army to the centre in its efforts to rid the nation of illicit arms.

(NAN)