The Nigeria Police Force has initiated a nationwide operation to recover illegal firearms, as part of security preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, announced the campaign on Thursday in Abuja during a visit by a delegation from the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), led by its Director-General, Johnson Kokumo.
Mr Disu emphasised the importance of public sensitisation on civil disarmament, stressing that security is a collective obligation. He warned that individuals carrying unauthorised weapons pose a direct threat to fellow citizens and urged all stakeholders to support the exercise.
“Our officers have been instructed to commence this operation, particularly as we approach the elections, and we have already begun recovering illegal arms from unauthorised persons,” he stated. The I-G noted that the recovery effort would intensify in the lead-up to the polls, with a focus on encouraging voluntary surrender of illicit weapons.
Seeking enhanced collaboration with the NCCSALW, Mr Disu described the Police Force, as the nation’s foremost internal security agency with the widest grassroots presence, as pivotal to the success of arms recovery. He stressed that every weapon retrieved and destroyed would improve public safety, framing the initiative as a joint mission requiring shared commitment.
Earlier, Mr Kokumo highlighted the incontrovertible link between illicit arms proliferation, terrorism, and violent crime, noting that Nigeria is a signatory to the ECOWAS convention mandating member states to combat the spread of small arms. He disclosed that the centre has destroyed over 16,000 obsolete and decommissioned weapons since its inception, with the Nigeria Police Force contributing 11,907 arms—including 8,438 automatic weapons and 3,489 locally fabricated ones—for destruction.
Both agencies reaffirmed their dedication to deepening institutional collaboration to curb the circulation of illegal firearms and ensure a secure environment for the upcoming elections.