The traditional institution in Borno has been enjoined to support advocacy programmes that will help to reduce the circulation of illegal small arms and light weapons in the zone.

Retired Rear Adm. Abdulrahim Mohammed, the North East Zonal Coordinator, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), made the appeal when he visited the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn-Garbai Elkanemi, in his Palace in Maiduguri on Monday.

Mr Muhammed said that the centre embarked on national assignment to eradicate illegal acquisition of firearms which had contributed immensely to the security challenges in Nigeria.

According to him, the traditional institutions are critical stakeholders in the campaign as they are custodians of culture and vanguard of promoting peace and violence-free society.

In his remarks, Mr Shehu commended the federal government for establishing the centre in Maiduguri, adding that it would mitigate the menace of insecurity, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the region.

According to him, the removal of small arms and light weapons in the hands of terrorists and non-state actors will deepen and sustain the peace achieved so far.

The centre has recovered more than 3,000 illegal arms in the last 18 months since its take-off in May 2021.

(NAN)