By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
The 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Sokoto has handed over hundreds of recovered weapons to the national center for the control of small and light weapons (NCCSALW).
Speaking before handing over of the weapons, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Div, Maj Gen Uwem Bassey, said the achievement was possible because of the determination of the joint security under the Operation Hadarin Daji.
General Bassey who re-emphasized that the Operations covers Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi States, has its headquarters in Gusau, Zamfara State.
While noting that the 8 Div is in charge of all the areas covered by Operation Hadarin Daji, the GOC added that they are deeply involved in various activities to get rid of criminals and criminality from all areas of their operations.
"Our mandate is to ensure that these criminals are curtailed to enable law abiding citizens go about their lawful activates without hindrances".
According to the GOC, Operation Hadarin Daji is segmented into three sectors with one covering the general areas of Zamfara, another covering Katsina and the third covering Sokoto and part of Kebbi State.
The GOC who disclosed that the operation has successfully cleared several camps of bandits and criminals in those States, however lamented that the enemies are mobile.
"Our operations is continuing because the enemies are mobile. Therefore, we are not tired. We are operating a mobile troop hence clandestine operations that has seen to the recovery of numerous weapons as well", the GOC said.
Reeling out part of their achievements, the GOC said between 2018 to May, 2022, Operation Hadarin Daji has recovered a total of 203 AK 47.
Other recoveries include, "4 Automated Fabricated Riffles, 7 G3 Riffles, 1 General Purpose Machine Gun, 3 Sub Machine Gun, 1 Light Machine Gun, 4 PN Riffle, 40 Dane Guns, 71 Locally made Pistols, 61 Rocket Propel Gun empty Cannisters and 1 Pump Action Riffle".
The GOC appealed to all and sundry to see security as everybody's business. He further solicited for continued disclosure of information regarding these bad elements in the society.
"Security agencies in Nigeria are doing their best to ensure that we are ahead of these criminals. We therefore seek the cooperation of the society to bring the activities of these criminals to a stop.
"We are committed to bringing lasting peace. We lay down our lives for it and we cannot count the number of dangers we are passing through for the sake of peace, but it is a job we must do".
In his caution to the Nigerian media, Major General Bassey appealed to them to be mindful of national security in their reportage, adding that, "without the well-being of Nigeria, we can hardly practice our professions".
Responding to the development, the NCCSALW North West Coordinator, AVM Haruna Umar Mohammed (rtd) said the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government of Nigeria in it's determination to stop the senseless bloodletting and insecurity occasioned by Small Arms & Light Weapons, approved the establishment of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) in May, 2021, to institutionalize SALW control at all levels of the polity and mainstream illicit SALW eradication efforts.
While noting that their mandate is to, amongst others, mob up all illicit weapons as well as Small Arms and Light Weapons in circulation within our communities, control of the proliferation of all weapons in the holdings of all arms bearing agencies and organizations in the country.
"From what I have seen here in Sokoto, the Operation Hadarin Daji in conjunction with other security agencies have done tremendously well. I want to urge members of the Operation to please maintain the tempo. We are all aware of the weapons in the hands of bad elements. We must also work to ensure a drug free society, hence drugs and illicit arms are the major contributory factors for insecurity in Nigeria".
The North West Coordinator of NCCSALW, AVM Umar, while reiterating that security is everybody's business, re-assured that the 2023 general election which is by the corner, will be arms free by God's grace.
"The 2023 election is around the corner. We will have arms free election by the grace of God. With what I have seen here, very soon we will be back for another collection.
"I therefore urge all members of the public to support the Government in it's efforts to eradicate illicit SALW in circulation and by extension, promote an illicit arms- free society", AVM Umar appealed. NNL.
